Tulsa County 4-H’ers helped beautify a historic stretch of Route 66 while supporting Oklahoma agriculture during the Tulsa County 4-H on Route 66 event, held June 3-4.

The centerpiece of the two-day experience was a community service project at Tulsa Fire Station 66, where participants installed native pollinator flower beds along the iconic highway. The project was supported by a $4,700 Keep Oklahoma Beautiful grant and completed in partnership with the City of Tulsa and Tulsa Fire Station 66.

“This is something that’s going to be around for a lot of people to enjoy for a really long time,” said Hannah Hough, Tulsa County OSU Extension agriculture educator. “Anybody traveling to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial is going to get to see beautiful flowers that were placed here by Tulsa County 4-H.”

Native pollinators supported by the plants play a critical role in agriculture and the food system, reinforcing the connection between conservation and community while creating a lasting visual impact at a highly visible and historic location.

Nick Berry, a Tulsa County 4-H’er who helped design the project, said he enjoyed seeing his ideas come to life.

“I came up with the plants because they attract pollinators, and we placed them so they would grow well and highlight the area,” he said. "It’s really cool to see something I sketched turn into something real.”

Berry said the project also helped him better understand the importance of pollinators.

“Pollinators help plants grow better, and we don’t have as many as we need,” he said. “This will be really good for the area.”

The project emphasized youth leadership and hands-on learning while giving Tulsa County 4-H’ers the opportunity to make a visible impact in their community.

“Our hope is not only for them to learn more about pollinators and why they’re important, but also to realize there are ways they can give back to their community,” Hough said. “This is a great community service project for them and a way to learn how they can make a difference.”

Additional programming throughout the event reinforced connections between agriculture, history and community. Participants explored the role of pollinators in supporting crops and ecosystems through interactive, Route 66-themed activities on the first day and visited the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa.

The program was organized in collaboration with Northeast Area Agricultural Literacy/STEM 4-H Educator Kylie Nicholson and designed to highlight the connections between agriculture, Oklahoma heritage and civic engagement.

Through both education and service, Tulsa County 4-H on Route 66 showcased how youth can create meaningful change while gaining a deeper understanding of their communities and Oklahoma’s agricultural legacy.