Oklahoma 4-H and Masonic Charity Foundation extend $1 million partnership

Oklahoma 4-H is marking its 105th annual Roundup in Stillwater this week with a partnership that has helped fund leadership and STEM programs across the state. Since 2020, the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma has backed Roundup, a STEM summit and hands-on youth training that now reaches more than 20,000 students.

Why it matters: - The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma’s support helps Oklahoma 4-H lower program costs and expand access to leadership training for youth across the state. - The funding also strengthens STEM education for thousands of 4-H members and helps build a pipeline of future community leaders. - The partnership has grown into more than $1 million in support since 2020.

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

The details: - Oklahoma 4-H Roundup runs for three days each July on the Oklahoma State University campus in Stillwater. - Milford H. Jenkins, executive director of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, said the foundation’s philanthropic support has given youth invaluable STEM training and the chance to experience Roundup on the OSU campus. - The Oklahoma 4-H Innovate Summit trains high school students to return to their counties and teach STEM lessons to younger members. - The peer-to-peer model expanded the program’s reach from 2,859 youth served in 2022 to more than 20,000 in 2025. - Dr. Kelly Wardlaw, Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development STEM specialist, said the program’s strength is that participants immediately apply their training by leading STEM activities in their hometown communities. - The MCFOK investment has also helped Oklahoma youth attend the National 4-H Council’s Ignite Conference. - Ignite participants explore STEM careers and build leadership skills alongside 4-H members from across 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 across the state.

Between the lines: - The partnership is doing more than funding one event; it is underwriting a broader leadership pipeline that starts with statewide gatherings and extends into local classrooms and communities. - The rapid growth of Innovate suggests the train-the-trainer model is multiplying the foundation’s impact without requiring the same level of direct instruction for every student. - The emphasis on statewide access signals a focus on reach, not just prestige events.

What's next: - Oklahoma 4-H members will continue gathering in Stillwater later this month for Roundup. - The partnership is expected to keep supporting leadership development, hands-on STEM education and community service opportunities for Oklahoma youth. - More information about Oklahoma 4-H Roundup is available at Oklahoma 4-H Roundup. - The foundation also shared a social media page at Masonic Charity Oklahoma.

The bottom line: - A six-year philanthropic commitment has become a statewide engine for leadership and STEM education, and Oklahoma 4-H is using it to reach far more young people than a single event ever could.