Canadian County GOP awards student scholarships – Yukon Progress
Recent Mustang High, Southwest Covenant grads honored
The Canadian County Republicans on June 8 awarded three $1,000 scholarships to recent graduates from Mustang High School and Southwest Covenant School.
The students and their parents were guests of honor at the annual Canadian County GOP Cookout at Canadian Valley Technology Center’s Cowan Campus.
In addition to an application that included school achievements and community involvement, applicants had to write an essay identifying a problem in the community and a solution and have letters of recommendation.
A five-member committee chose this year’s three scholarship recipients.
KENLEY DILLON
The daughter of Kendall and Krystal Dillon, Kenley is a graduate of Mustang High School and was class valedictorian. She plans to attend Oklahoma State University in the fall and be working for a degree in Entrepreneurship.
She was on the superintendent’s honor roll for four years and earned credits at Redlands Community College. She’s a member of the National Honor Society and received the Outstanding Economic Student Award from the Federal Reserve Bank – OKC branch.
Kenley was active in DECA serving in many leadership roles and winning awards in various DECA competitions. Involved in several school clubs or councils, she successfully fulfilled her officer duties. She was active in student government and served as a page for State Rep. Brian Hill. She still found time to play on the school’s tennis time.
Kenley is active in Discovery Church, primarily in the children’s and youth ministries. She also participates in community organizations such as the Salvation Army Feed the Children.
Kenley works part-time in an appraisal office and runs her own company.
This is Kenley’s essay:
“Canadian County is the fastest-growing county in Oklahoma and one of the top thirty fastest-growing counties in the U.S. Within this region, Mustang stands out as one of the fastest-growing cities. However, as Mustang’s population continues to expand, it becomes essential to develop a strong and capable workforce to sustain this growth and propel further development.
“Growing up, I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, starting various small businesses ranging from slime to clay jewelry. However, upon turning 18 last August, I decided to establish a permanent jewelry business. This involved obtaining an LLC, an EIN, insurance coverage, opening a bank account, and more. Despite lacking prior experience in entrepreneurship, I began this journey with determination and a willingness to learn. Through trial and error, along with resources like YouTube tutorials, I navigated the details of starting and managing a business. My passion for business and desire to learn led me to join DECA at my school and eventually become the club’s president. DECA is focused on ‘preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management’.
“Through my involvement in DECA and ownership of a small business, I have realized the importance of a school curriculum that equips students with valuable life skills and exposes students to diverse career paths. Public schools play a vital role in preparing students for the workforce, and reevaluating the curriculum and requirements can significantly enhance this preparation. Introducing additional programs and required classes such as business operations and business finance would greatly benefit students aspiring to enter the business world.
“Furthermore, public schools could partner with local leaders and business owners to provide insights into various professions through guest lectures and interactive sessions. This program would inform students about diverse career opportunities and ignite their passion for joining the workforce. Internships and job shadowing programs offer invaluable hands-on experience and exposure to different careers that go beyond learning about them in the classroom. Encouraging community.”
MAKENNA BRANSON
The daughter of Todd and Denise Branson, Makenna is a graduate of Mustang High School. She will attend Oklahoma State University in the fall working toward a degree in Animal Science.
A member of the National Honor Society, Makenna was on the honor roll all through high School. She was also concurrently enrolled at Oklahoma State University and maintained a high average there.
At Mustang High School, she was very involved in the general field of agriculture through the activities of 4-H and FFA. She was active in several leadership roles in both organizations
Makenna won many awards, especially in FFA, including recognition at the recent FFA State Convention. She made time to be active in community organizations such as the Mustang Flowers Toy Drive, the Salvation Army, the Special Olympics, Blessings Baskets, Meals of Hope, the Regional Food Bank, and the Mustang Festival of the Child. She twice served as a page for State Rep. Brian Hill.
Here is Makenna’s essay:
“Canadian County, Oklahoma is the fastest-growing county in Oklahoma, and is among the fastest growing counties in the United States. This growth has caused the development of new neighborhoods, and the expansion of new schools, and has created unforeseen traffic funnels that are beginning to make the daily commute tricky.
“Although Canadian County is experiencing these effects that can be perceived as negative, I believe that there is a tremendous opportunity for my county to utilize these expansions to become a stronger community.
“As a start, knowing that this county is growing tells me the county is experiencing an increase in ad valorem taxes that can be used to direct funds toward the betterment of the citizens. The tax dollars collected from the personal property and real estate investments countywide could be used to provide more community opportunities that promote a higher quality of life, as well as community centers that deliver safe, friendly zones for families to gather. The enhancement of county facilities could promote the future viability of our county and create new pathways for outside ventures to bring festivals, concerts, and fairs into the community.
“Additionally, as Canadian County grows, so does the propensity for crime and poverty. It would be beneficial for the county to expand its programs toward the economic security of homes, businesses, investments, and education. As the population grows, a portion of the ad valorem taxes could be reserved for valuable financial education courses through partnerships with the Cooperative Extension Service, educational nonprofits, and local colleges.
“Finally, I would also approach our county government on the possibility of expanding the quality of health care services that are available to senior citizens, families struggling with poverty, and individuals seeking help to overcome addiction. Oklahoma’s healthcare system is currently ranked among the unhealthiest in the United States. This unhealthy metric is mostly experienced in the rural areas of Oklahoma.
“Coincidentally, Canadian County is an extremely fast-growing county with half of the geographic boundary still being predominantly rural. a fast-growing county, much attention is placed on the growing communities, however, I feel that is it important for our county commissioners to bring more attention to the healthy needs of our citizens still removed from the main source of population growth. Ideally, Canadian County could break the stigma of being in one of the unhealthiest states by positioning more resources towards rural health care, combatting the steady number of uninsured residents, and providing community outreach opportunities that boost community health outcomes.
“I completely understand that these ideas take time, support, and a considerable amount of resources to accomplish, but in a growing county of this size, and with so many negative signs of growth to focus our attention, l would be in support of creating new channels with the ad valorem tax dollars that promote a better quality of life for the citizens that so desperately strive to find a new home in my home county, Canadian County.”
CADEN WEHMULLER
The son of Matt and Diane Wehmuller, Caden is a recent graduate of Southwest Covenant School in Yukon. He will be attending the University of Oklahoma in the fall to earn a degree in Health and Exercise Science.
Caden made the principal’s honor roll for four years and took college classes online. He was also active in the Army ROTC at his school and will continue in ROTC at the university. He participated in football, track and basketball and lettered in all three.
He served his community by helping with Blessings Baskets in El Reno and Mobile Meals delivery and serving on the host team for Life Church-Yukon. He also has worked with the youth group at First Baptist Church-Yukon.
Caden served as a page for State Sen. Jack Stewart in 2023 and State Sen. Darcy Jech in 2024.
Here is Caden’s essay:
“One problem I believe Canadian County faces is poor interest and enlistment in the military. According to the Department of Defense, in 2023 military services failed to reach their recruiting goals by 41,000. To add to this, the Department of Defense also stated that fewer than 23% of young people between the ages of seventeen and twenty-four have any interest in joining the military. In 2022, the number of service members dropped 2.7 % from 2021. These are concerning trends that clearly show a lack of interest in joining the military or considering it as a career option. This needs to be corrected, and I believe it all starts with our local community.
“Canadian County can do many different things try and change this trend. One way to accomplish this would be to create more opportunities to experience the military by hosting career fairs, information sessions, and having a presence at job fairs. I would encourage current and former service members to attend career fairs at public and private schools or technology centers. I think it’s important to see members of the military in person, and to be able to ask them questions about their own experiences in the military. Questions like what made them decide to enlist, why they chose a particular branch, or if they were ever scared would help us to better relate to each of them at a personal level.
“I recently learned of a military leadership conference for high school students in Edmond at Oklahoma Christian which I will be attending in June. I learned about it by accident through a family friend who has shared his experience having served in Vietnam at this conference. More needs to be done to create awareness and promote conferences like this.
“Another thing that could be done is to create a county website that promotes military service and specifically promotes local members of the military. A local service member could be highlighted each week on this website. I also think it is important to give our service members more opportunities to share the pride they feel having served (or are serving) our country. They could talk about their experiences or the skills they learned, the friends they have made, and the different places or service branch in which they served. Through these efforts, others (and especially young people) will learn more about military service, job skills, career opportunities, and the benefits that come with it. The goal is to spark interest in the military by appealing to the hearts and minds of our young people.
“I also think it’s important to promote veteran’s parades and other events to stimulate pride in our military. We must lead by example and make it a priority to always be mindful of the sacrifices made by those who serve. My hope is these efforts would prompt more people to answer the call to service and protect our freedoms. Through our example, my hope is that others will see and be inspired to consider military service.”
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