Ashton Lane Davis, a senior at Navajo High School in Altus has been awarded 6th Place in the state-wide Annual Senior Essay Contest sponsored by the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma. The essay topic was ” What specific sacrifice or sacrifices would you endure as a partial solution to our country’s economic problem?” His teacher, Mrs. Bayers facilitated the contest for the school. The annual contest has divisions for both men and women, with prizes ranging from $2,000 to $100. “As an Oklahoman, I’m proud of Ashton Lane Davis and of the school system which produced such fine work,” Mr. Randy Rogers, the state leader of the Freemasons said. “We have some outstanding students and some highly skilled and dedicated teachers in our state. It’s a privilege for the Masonic fraternity to recognize such excellence.” The Masons have long been involved with the public educational system. The Masons are major supporters of the State Teacher of the Year program. The fraternity also underwrites the State Superintendent’s Awards for Arts Excellence program. In addition, various branches of the fraternity provide college scholarships and pay the costs of training public school teachers in new methods of teaching children with reading and language disabilities. During 2011, local Masonic Lodges sponsored hundreds of activities in support of local. schools, from purchasing books requested by school libraries, to providing volunteer time to assist teachers, to raising funds to send students on special educational trips. They also sponsor such educational programs as “Nature”, “National Geographic on Assignment” and Antiques Roadshow on Oklahoma educational television. In cooperation with Prevent Blindness Oklahoma, the Masons sponsor vision screenings which have helped to save the eyesight of thousands of Oklahoma’s school children. “We’re working to find new ways to support education,” Mr. Rogers said. “We know it’s the most important thing we can do to assure the future of our state.” Altus Masonic Lodge Number 62 was pleased to present Ashton with a check honoring his winning essay. This award was presented at the Annual Student and Teacher of Today program at Altus Masonic Lodge on Sunday, May 6 with over 275 people in attendance. Pictures of the event can be viewed at the website www.altuslodge62.com.