2026
OEF Announces Winners of the 45th Annual Oklahoma Engineering Fair
The Oklahoma Engineering Foundation (OEF) announces the winners of the 45th Annual Oklahoma Engineering Fair, which was held February 25, 2026, at Science Museum Oklahoma. The winners are as follows. Please note, unless otherwise indicated, the first-place classroom/teacher in each category win $300 and a plaque; second place, $200; and third place, $100. The first-place student winners in each category will receive a medal and $30 Amazon gift card; second place, a medal and $20 Amazon gift card; and third place, a medal and $10 Amazon gift card. Classroom awards are capped at $599. (See important caveats at the end of this post.)
ANIMALS and ENGINEERING (INAUGURAL WINNERS)
Sponsored by Kirkpatrick Foundation
This competition offers prizes in separate categories to high school and junior high school students.
HIGH SCHOOL
FIRST PLACE (TIE)
Student: Carson Greenlaw
Teacher: Paula Greenlaw
School: Greenlaw Homeschool (Jones, OK)
FIRST PLACE (TIE)
Student: Ellian Reaves / Fish Habitat
Teacher: Jennifer Newlin
School: Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Student: Hayle Smith / Raccoon Habitat
Teacher: Jennifer Newlin
School: Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Student: Ellie Pray / Horned Lizard Habitat
Teacher: Jennifer Newlin
School: Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, OK)
JUNIOR HIGH
FIRST PLACE
Student: Emma Cook / Pollinator Poll
Teacher: Stacie Andrews
School: Summit Middle School (Edmond, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Student: Elizabeth Barrick / Squirrel Pod
Teacher: Kimber Smith
School: Mustang Central Middle School (Mustang, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Students: Andrew Jones / 3D Printed Birdhouse
Teachers: Carla Jones
School: Jones Homeschool (Newalla, OK)
SPECIAL INAUGURAL AWARD
The Louisa McCune Heart & Ingenuity Award in Animals and Engineering
Student: Vivienne Nelson / Star Landing
Teacher: Kimber Smith
Mustang Central Middle School (Mustang, OK)
The Louisa McCune Heart & Ingenuity Award recognizes a student who demonstrates exceptional creativity in the pursuit of engineering solutions. This award honors the spirit of thoughtful effort that reflects both compassion and courage.Â
McCune (1970-2024) was the Executive Director of the Kirkpatrick Foundation and a tremendous friend to OEF. She was also devoted to animals of all kinds, especially dogs, pigs and birds and completely dedicated to the Kirkpatrick Foundation’s Safe & Humane Initiative, which is committed to bettering the lives of animals in Oklahoma in an effort to make the state the safest and most humane place to be an animal by the year 2032.
Jennifer McCollum along with the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation extend a special thanks to Kirkpatrick Foundation Chairman Christian Keesee; Executive Director Kelley Barnes, and Senior Programs Officer – Grants, Susan Grossman, for their ongoing support of OEF and Oklahoma children who love animals and engineering.
BRIDGE BUILDING CONTEST – LOAD CAPACITY
Sponsor: 360 Engineering
WINNER
Student: Alexander Nguyen
Teacher: Anna Park
School: Highland East School (Moore)
Load Capacity: 120.6 pounds
BRIDGE BUILDING CONTEST – STRUCTURAL EFFICIENCY
Sponsor: Oklahoma Structural Engineers Association
FIRST PLACE / STRUCTURAL EFFICIENCY
Students: Paxtan Bray and Mason Ridpath
Teacher: Stacy Hensley
School: Oakdale Public School (Edmond, OK)
SECOND PLACEÂ / STRUCTURAL EFFICIENCY
Student: Alexander Nguyen
Teacher: Anna Park
School: Highland East School (Moore, OK)
THIRD PLACE / STRUCTURAL EFFICIENCY
Student: Reese Dean
Teacher: James Robb
School: Brink Junior High (Moore, OK)
BRIDGE BUILDING CONTEST – AESTHETICS ($100 STUDENT PRIZE)
Sponsored by Wallace Design Collective
WINNER
Student: Alexander Nguyen
School: Highland East School (Moore, OK)
Teacher: Anna Park
PREDICT and WIN ($50 STUDENT Prize)
Sponsored by CEC
WINNER
Student: Jahir Galvez Mendez
Teacher: Guavanch Gulmiradov
School: Dove Science Academy (Warr Acres, OK)
BRIDGE BUILDING CONTEST – PEOPLES’ CHOICE
Sponsored by CEC
Peoples’ Choice will be voted on soon. Look for an announcement and the link. The winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.
Student: Alexander Nguyen
Teacher: Anna Park
School: Highland East School (Moore, OK)
Students: Ryan Alatrash and William Elkadi
Teacher: Stacie Andrews
School: Edmond Summit Middle School (Edmond, OK)
Student: Addie Pray
Teacher: Jennifer Newlin
School: Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, OK)
DRONE ZONE
Sponsor: FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
FIRST PLACE
Student: Carson Greenlaw
Teacher: Paula Greenlaw
SECOND PLACE
Student: Andrew Jones
Teacher: Carla Jones
THIRD PLACE
Students: Dove Science Academy Team 1 – Yavuz Yilmaz, Nihal Erez, Aldryn Premkumar
Teacher: Guvanch Gulmyradov
EIFFEL TOWER CONTEST
Sponsor: CEC, OU College of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, Society of Plastics Engineers
FIRST PLACE
Students: William Brummal and Elijah Ecskine
Teacher: Ron Markum
School: Gordon Cooper Technology Center (Shawnee, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Students: Andrew Jones and Carson Greenlaw
Teachers: Carla Jones and Paula Greenlaw
School: Jones Homeschool (Newalla, OK) and Greenlaw Homeschool (Jones, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Student: Reid Repp and Jase Hendrick
Teacher:Â
School: Fort Cobb Broxton (Fort Cobb, OK)
ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTEST
Sponsor: IEE, OKC Section
FIRST PLACE
Student: Braden Hibler
Teacher: Ron Markum
School: Gordon Cooper Technology Center (Shawnee, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Student: Colton Iten
Teacher: Carla Shackelford
School: Highland East Junior High (Moore, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Student: Cade Cuomo
Teacher: Joseph Mitchell
School: Southridge Junior High (Moore, OK)
CODING WITH ARDUINO
Sponsor: American Fidelity
FIRST PLACE
Students: Hudson Schupbach, Maddox Morgan, Kyden Archuleta
Teacher: Jennifer Newlin
School: Burlington Public Schools (Burlington, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Student: Leonardo Flores
Teacher: Guvanch Gulmyradov
School: Dove Science Academy (Warr Acres, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Students: Hunter Jones, Holly Turner, Damian Gregory, Kenneth Carpenter
Teacher: Alicia Gardner/Ron Markum
School: Gordon Cooper Technology Center (Shawnee, OK)
PING PONG LAUNCHER CONTEST
Sponsor: Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Chapter #125 Oklahoma City
FIRST PLACE
Student: Aaron M
Teacher: Kaylee Bermea
School: Stillwater Junior High School (Stillwater, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Student: Caleb B.
Teacher: Brandi Ehardt
School: Oklahoma Bible Academy (Enid, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Student: _________________________
Teacher: Ron Markum
School: Gordon Cooper Technology Center (Shawnee, OK)
RUBBER BAND-POWERED VEHICLE
Sponsor: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Central Oklahoma Section
FIRST PLACE
Student: Andrew Jones
Teacher: Carla Jones
Home: Jones Homeschool (Newalla, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Students: Henles Callahan
Teacher: Joseph Mitchell
School: Southridge Junior High (Moore, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Student: Lily Heister
Teacher: Heather Armstrong
Home: Southridge Junior High (Moore, OK)
WACKY WONDER WORKS
Sponsor: Oklahoma Society of Professional Engineers
FIRST PLACE
Students: Rylee Long-Bush, Vann Burgess and Jeremiah Burpo
Teacher: Randy Overton
School: Chisholm Trail Technology Center (Omega, OK)
SECOND PLACE
Students Josh Finley and Daelyn Botone
Teacher: Randy Overton
School: Chisholm Trail Technology Center (Omega, OK)
THIRD PLACE
Students: Paxton Gray and Abby Wood
Teacher: Heather Armstrong
School: Southridge Junior High (Moore, OK)
HONORABLE MENTION
Students: Connor Geionety, James Morton, Bryson Andrews, Mason Carr
Teacher: Kelly Fry
School: Washington Middle School (Washington, OK)
WACKIEST
Students: Bailey Marks and Alizah Chhim
Teacher: James Robb
School: Brink Junior High (Moore, OK)
MOST INNOVATIVE
Students: Kyle Camua, Joseph Mantooth and Sean Baker
Teacher: We are missing this teacher’s name. Please contact us at info@oef.org.
School: Mid America Technology Center (Wayne, OK)
MOST TECHNICAL
Students: Haven Noll and Hannah McMinn
Teacher: Anna Park
School: Highland East Junior High (Moore, OK)
More than 550 people attended the fair including approximately 450 students. The event, which is coordinated by the Oklahoma Engineering Foundation, was held at Science Museum Oklahoma. The following schools attended:
In addition to individual event sponsors, other funders included Phillips 66; ConocoPhillips; Kirkpatrick Foundation; LSB Industries; Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission; Olsson; Air Force STEM K-12; CEC, and the OEF Board of Trustees.
Paul Green, PE (Freese and Nichols) is the president of OEF. Jimmy Sparks, PE, (Olsson), is the past president. Trustees include James Beauchamp, PE; Diana Bittle (American Fidelity); Brian Dolan, PE (Leidos); Alex Marks (Whites Energy Services); Kevin Sitton (Phillips 66), and Greg Steelhammer, PE (LSB Industries).
Caveats
- Teacher/Classroom awards are capped at $599.
- Under Bridge Building, a monetary award is not offered for Load Capacity.
- Under Wacky Wonder Works, monetary awards are not offered for Wackiest, Most Innovative, Most Technical and Honorable Mention.
- In the event of a tie, awards are split equally between the winners.