Masons honor students with 'Honesty & Integrity'

Franklin Lodge No. 57 F.&A.M. honored two local students Tuesday with Honesty and Integrity Awards.
Adiecia Bourgeois of Franklin High School and Dalen LeBlanc of Centerville High School were chosen for the awards.
Guest speaker was 16th Judicial District Judge Vincent Borne.
Borne said when he was in law school he didn’t have a cellphone, but these days, things like online shopping and such make everything available “on demand.”
“Honesty and Integrity is something to be proud of,” he said. “I’m proud to be brought up in Franklin. I love it and I love it now, I’m a resident here.”
The judge said in a small community “sometimes we lose sight of that because of the technologies in society, the immediate gratification, keeping up with the Joneses, keeping up with social media and whatever. So the fact that these two young adult shave been recognized…says a lot not only about yourself but the people that have been part of your life.”
Borne said the students “should be proud of it…try to understand what it means. You’re being recognized for something that not everybody gets recognized for anymore. Set the standards, set the example and maintain the integrity you’ve held yourself to.”
The life that a person leads is more important than the awards they receive, Borne said. He said they should thank their families for “helping you to become someone who is bestowed this honor.”
Also recognized was Mason Bro. Deputy Corey Burgess, who facilitated the outreach to CHS.
“When Corey called me, (the awardee) wasn’t just chosen by me,” said principal Kristina Estay. “Adiecia exhibits honest and integrity and leadership inside and outside of the classroom. She is a role model student when no one is watching and when her peers are watching, and she does the right thing even when (others) may not be doing the right thing.”
Bro. David Leonard worked with Franklin High School. Principal Ty Burdett said, “In the education business we deal with both ends of the spectrum a lot. When we get kids like Dalen…it’s a pleasure to work with those students because you know you can count on them. Dalen came to use from Glencoe Charter School as a freshman and he’s developed into a fine young man.”
Burdett said LeBlanc’s many extracurricular activities have donated to his character and reception of the award.