By MELVIN HONEYFIELD

Staff writer

Area students and teachers were honored for their achievements April 18 at the Florence Advance Lodge #114 annual awards night at the Florentine Center.

Dennis Kear of Kansas Masonic Literacy Center at Emporia State University presented exemplary student awards to Centre fourth-grader Devin Felpel and third-graders Gracie Steele-Meyer and Konner Stahlheber; Cassidy Bernhard of Hillsboro; third-grader Brody Coleman of Marion-Florence; and first-grader Makinna Kangas of Peabody-Burns.

Marion High School junior Sebastian Carranza received an exemplary student award and a complimentary Masonic T-shirt.

Exemplary teacher awards went to Gloria Winter and Linda Peters of Hillsboro.

Payton Harms of Centre, Colin Williams of Marion-Florence, and Tyler Entz of Peabody-Burns won essay awards.

Scholarship awardees were Jacob Bittle, Lincolnville; Brendon Bina, Marion; Jayden Hallowell, Ramona; Paige Burkhart, Strong City; Tori Burkhart, Manhattan; and Kassady Griffin, Strong City.

The lodge also presented a $3,000 donation for improvements to Florence library to board president Susan Reid.

Guests R:.W:. Warren Hughes, Area 3 Deputy Grand Master; R:.W:. Brian McCraken, District 23 Deputy Grand Master; Barbara Kear; and Melvin Honeyfield, Master of Centre Lodge 147 were introduced by Blaine Warkentine.

Presentation of emblem awards were presented to Craig Olsen.