Students at Ben Franklin Science Academy received school supplies from an unusual source Wednesday — Tikrit, Iraq.

Herman H. Kirby, Grand Finance Recorder for the Muskogee Prince Hall Grand Chapter Holy Royal Ark Masons, said the Rev. Marc Barnett, a member of the Prince Hall lodge in Tikrit, sent a package of school supplies to the Muskogee lodge with orders that they be distributed at a Muskogee elementary school. The Oklahoma jurisdiction of the Holy Royal Ark Masons is based in Muskogee.

Dressed in his white and red Masonic regalia, Kirby presented 50 supply-packed mesh book bags to Ben Franklin Science Academy. The collection included black mesh Speed Racer book bags and pink Barbie bags. Each bag contained a spiral notebook, a hand-sized spiral notebook, three pencils, a ruler and other items.

“I picked Ben Franklin Science Academy, because my nephew used to go here,” Kirby said after the brief presentation assembly. He said the donation made him happy “when I see their faces and they come up to thank me.”

BFSA Principal Peggy Jones said she and other Ben Franklin officials will decide which students need the supplies most.

“A lot of our kids are running out of supplies, so these are things kids need,” Jones said.

BFSA fifth-graders Autumn Nichols and Giselle Coronado said they are happy about the donation even if they might not be the ones to get the supplies. They said they are glad their schoolmates will get what they need.

“Some kids are running out of pencils and erasers,” Giselle said.

Kirby said the Muskogee Prince Hall chapter first heard about Barnett’s donation two weeks ago from James E. Hubbard, most excellent high priest of the Masons’ Oklahoma jurisdiction, based in Muskogee. Kirby said he asked people if they knew Barnett or if he could have had roots in Muskogee.

Hubbard, who lives in Oklahoma City, said the Oklahoma jurisdiction has lodges throughout the world, predominantly at military bases.

“We have them in Italy, Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan,” he said.

A Prince Hall Masons lodge opened in Tikrit, Iraq, about three months ago, Kirby said.

Barnett, a member of the Tikrit lodge, decided he wanted to donate school supplies to Muskogee because it is where jurisdictional headquarters are, Hubbard said. Kirby said Barnett is serving in Iraq.