Oklahoma 4-H and Masonic Charity Foundation deepen STEM and leadership investment

Oklahoma 4-H’s 105th Roundup in Stillwater is spotlighting a partnership with the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma that has topped $1 million since 2020. The funding is expanding leadership access and STEM programming for thousands of youth across the state.

Why it matters: - The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma’s support is helping Oklahoma 4-H reach more young people with leadership training and hands-on STEM education. - The investment is reducing program costs, broadening access and building a pipeline of future community leaders across Oklahoma.

What happened: - Oklahoma 4-H is welcoming hundreds of youth to its 105th annual Roundup July 22-24 at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. - Since 2020, the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma has established a $1 million endowment for Oklahoma 4-H Roundup and statewide STEM programming. - The foundation has also contributed more than $100,000 to the Oklahoma 4-H Innovate Summit. - The Roundup is Oklahoma 4-H’s premier leadership event and includes workshops, contests, recognition programs and leadership development. - MCFOK Honor Night highlights the event by recognizing outstanding 4-H members from across the state.

The details: - Oklahoma 4-H Roundup is a three-day conference held annually on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. - The MCFOK investment helps offset program costs and expand access to leadership experiences for Oklahoma 4-H members. - The Innovate Summit trains high school students to return to their counties and teach STEM lessons to younger members. - That peer-to-peer model grew from 2,859 youth served in 2022 to more than 20,000 in 2025. - Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development STEM specialist Dr. Kelly Wardlaw said the program’s strength is that participants immediately use their training by leading STEM activities in their hometown communities. - MCFOK support has also enabled Oklahoma youth to attend the National 4-H Council’s Ignite Conference. - Ignite participants explore STEM careers and build leadership skills alongside 4-H members from around the country. - Many Ignite participants now help lead Oklahoma programs such as STEM for Y’all and STEM Storytime. - Those programs extend STEM learning opportunities to younger students throughout Oklahoma.

Between the lines: - The partnership is doing more than funding one event. It is creating a statewide delivery system that pushes STEM education from older youth to younger students in local communities. - The growth in Innovate Summit participation suggests the model is scaling fast because it relies on trained teens who can spread the curriculum county by county. - Oklahoma 4-H Foundation Executive Director Milford H. Jenkins said the charitable support has empowered youth to gain STEM training and experience Oklahoma 4-H Roundup on the Oklahoma State University campus. - A participant said the summit helped them meet new friends, see how others do things and apply ideas in their county. - Another participant said the experience made them feel more capable in engineering. - Kate Wardlaw, an Oklahoma 4-H member, said Ignite inspired a career interest in teaching or 4-H education.

What's next: - Oklahoma 4-H members will continue gathering in Stillwater for the Roundup this month. - The partnership is expected to keep supporting leadership development, STEM education and community service opportunities for youth across Oklahoma. - More information about Oklahoma 4-H Roundup is available at Oklahoma 4-H Roundup.

The bottom line: - The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma’s long-term funding is turning Oklahoma 4-H into a broader statewide engine for leadership and STEM learning.