The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber (SWGC) recently held its March 2023 First Friday breakfast at the Hilton in Peachtree Corners, the organization’s signature monthly networking event drawing local business professionals.

SWGC Board Member, William Corbin presented a Character Award to Norcross High School’s Corbin Blum. The award was created to recognize outstanding students whose attitudes and actions embody the organization’s mission, passion, and commitment to excellence and community action.

“When asked to choose four characteristics that best describe himself, Blum chose ‘servant leader’,” said High School Counselor Victoria Poole. “He engages in his community with his peers, wants to make an impact and his determination produces real results.”

Blum serves as the Council Service Chair on the school’s student leadership council and has been selected for several academic honors societies. He participates in karate, ultimate frisbee, band, and golf, and serves as a camp counselor during the summers. He looks forward to attending college and believes that college is not only an institution of higher learning but also a place to build relationships and connections.

During the presentation, Blum was joined by his parents, James and Kristina Blum, and Norcross High School Principal, Will Bishop.

The SWGC is honored to have recognized Corbin Blum in front of local community and business leaders.

About the Character Award

The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber looks to recognize outstanding area high school students whose attitudes and actions embody the chamber's mission, passion, and commitment to excellence and community action. School administrators from each area high school select one student to be recognized at a chamber event and presented with an award.

The award celebrates a student's outstanding character, with a special focus on the following characteristics at home and in his or her community:

Respect: listens to others, appreciates differences, can state opinions without denigrating those of others
Citizenship: observes rules, does their fair share, is respectful of authority at home, school and the community
Caring: takes time to extend themselves to others, acknowledges the feelings of others, treats everyone fairly without regard for their gain or loss of social standing.
Trustworthiness: truthful, sincere, honest, stands up for their beliefs, does not spread rumors, returns what is borrowed, keeps promises
Justice/Fairness: treats everyone with equal respect and fairness, does not take advantage of others' mistakes or shortcomings, takes only their fair share, waits for their turn
Responsibility: thinks before acting, accepts consequences of decisions (no excuses), tries hard and does not quit.