Oklahoma State University: Pittsburg County 4-H'er Named Finalist For National 4-H Council's STEM Pillar Award

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

2021-12-14

Media Contact:
Trisha Gedon | Communications Specialist | 405-744-3625 | trisha.gedon@okstate.edu

When Emilee Coxsey was a young girl, she was often bullied due to a facial scar left
from a tumor-removal surgery over her right eye that saved her sight.

“Kids would point out my scar and pick on me,” said Coxsey, now 17. “It just kept
getting worse, and they started bullying me for everything. I liked art and reading,
and kids would bully me for that, too.”

But she also remembers what saved her in elementary school: joining the Frink-Chambers
4-H Club in Pittsburg County, which became her second family and a place where she fit in — and she has flourished.

Through 4-H, she developed a love for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
activities. Coupling that with her love of art, she since has developed a series of
STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) workshops she teaches to students
in kindergarten through high school, as well as scouting groups, church groups and
other 4-H clubs. She was recently recognized as one of two National 4-H Council finalists for the 2022 Youth in Action Pillar Award for STEM.

“I was petrified to walk into my first meeting years ago, but they were so nice and
welcoming. Getting involved in 4-H really turned my life around,” Coxsey said. “I
was so excited to find kids who had the same interests as me and I just felt at home.”

She found her passion in sixth grade when she started participating in STEM activities,
and about a year later she began teaching her STEAM workshops. She does research on
topics such as space or force and motion and creates all of her own projects, including
workshops to create propeller cars out of potato chip canisters, electric circuit
boards, wind vanes, lava lamps, art-bots (robots that make art) and a model Mars Rover.

Coxsey has reached more than 238,000 youth with her workshops, and in the process
has pre-packaged tens of thousands of individual pieces such as pipe cleaners, batteries,
tongue depressors and googly eyes. Each student participating gets a bag with everything
needed to complete a project.

“My workshops also help introduce kids to 4-H. Each of the projects I’ve designed
can be entered into the Pittsburg County fair,” Coxsey said.

Crowder Public Schools seventh-grader Shelbie Frank became a member of 4-H mainly
to show her animals. Participating in Coxsey’s STEAM workshops exposes her to other
aspects of the organization.

“It’s fun learning about how batteries have power. It makes me interested in learning
more about STEM activities,” Frank said. “A lot of kids my age stay cooped up inside
playing video games, but these kinds of activities are a lot of fun.”

Greg Owen, Oklahoma State University Extension 4-H Youth Development educator in Pittsburg County, has seen his club members succeed
beyond the boundaries of the county. Three former club members have been named Youth
in Action Pillar Award winners, and Coxsey is his second finalist.

“For my kids to get to this level, they have to have great family and volunteer support.
They must have a strong work ethic, and Emilee accentuates this,” Owen said. “As with
all of my county 4-H Ambassadors, I encouraged her to create her own community service
project — something she loves and has a passion for. My ambassadors do the work, but
I’m like their talent agent — I help them find ways to showcase what they can do.”

With encouragement from Owen to go “even bigger” with her project, Coxsey will soon
release an activity guide of all her projects with directions for youth to complete
them on their own. This will make the information she presents in her in-person workshops
available to those who may not be able to attend in person.

Coxsey’s STEAM workshops have been a regular feature in Tammie Hackler’s junior high
English class for five years.

“Emilee does an excellent job teaching my students, and the kids really relate to
her,” said Hackler, who teaches at Crowder Public Schools. “Students need variety
— not just the same person teaching them all the time — and what Emilee does is educational.
Because our school doesn’t offer art, the activities she does with my classes are
really good for them and engaging.”

Coxsey said presenting her workshops not only shares her knowledge and love of STEAM,
but also provides her an opportunity to work on her public speaking and leadership
skills.

“Teaching these workshops helps me become a better person each time I walk into the
classroom. I feel like I belong there and it’s something I love. I have a passion
for teaching. It’s like a firecracker going off,” she said.

Being a member of the Frink-Chambers 4-H Club isn’t Coxsey’s only extracurricular
activity. She also serves as Miss McAlester; is on the school pom team; takes dance
classes as well as teaches dance; and participates in the mock trial program at her
school.

In addition, she is the Pittsburg County 4-H vice president. Coxsey plans to attend
college next year and major in aerospace engineering.

“I’m so thankful for 4-H and I consider them my second family. If we need something,
we’re always there for each other,” Coxsey said. “4-H has helped me become the best
version of myself.”

More information about the Oklahoma 4-H Youth Development Program is available online.

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.