Five gubernatorial candidates will answer questions from a panel of Pelham High School students April 8 during a Governor Candidates Forum at Jefferson State Community College.

The forum, which is being sponsored by the Pelham Library Guild, will begin at 5 p.m.

The public can meet and speak with the candidates until 6:30 p.m., and the question-and-answer forum session will last from 6:30-7:45 p.m.

The public will be allowed to speak with candidates again following the forum.

Participating in the forum are Robert Bentley, Artur Davis, Bill Johnson, James Potts and Ron Sparks.

Candidate Tim James will not be present, but representatives from his campaign will be on hand to answer questions before and after the forum.

Students from Connie Nolen’s Pelham High School AP class will serve as the panel, and they will ask questions that have been submitted by Pelham residents, local churches and civic organizations.

Ron Scott, Economic Development Association of Alabama executive director, will serve as the moderator.

Pelham City Council member and Library Guild founding member Bill Meadows helped organize the event, and Meadows said the forum is a great opportunity for the public to get to the candidates, especially for those who are undecided.

“If you’re undecided about who to vote for, this is a great opportunity to make a decision,” Meadows said.

Meadows said this forum will be different from others that have been held around the state because of the involvement and participation of the youth. Many kids, Meadows said, will be voting this year in their first election.

“Our future in Pelham is out schools,” Meadows said. “Our future is our children and our grandchildren.”

Meadows said the Library Guild invited all candidates to attend the forum, and he hopes the representation of both sides of the political spectrum will provide for an insightful evening.

“We’ve got Democrats, Republicans, Tea-Partiers and Independents,” Meadows said. “We’re non-partisan.”

The Pelham Library Guild is a non-profit organization aimed at expanding literacy and the arts.

Anyone interested in joining the guild should contact Meadows at armor@mindspring.com or the Pelham Library at 620-6419.