July Citizen of the Month: Markaila McCorkle

Published July 25, 2023

Mary Grace Pewewardy | Multimedia Specialist

During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Stan Booker and representatives from the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women recognized Markaila McCorkle as Citizen of the Month for July 2023.

McCorkle has been an inspiration and remarkable citizen since the tender age of five. Her endeavors and altruistic spirit has led her to dedicate up to 200 hours each year to volunteer across multiple organizations in Lawton, such as The Next Step, MIGHT Community Center, OK BloodInstitute, Xinos, Key Club, and many more.

Her initiatives such as Kaila’s READcycle, in which she gave away over 3,000 books, and her participation in park clean-up drives with BIG-IT-UP, have had profound impacts on the welfare of our community. Her writing skills played a pivotal role in securing funding in both the establishment of the MIGHT Community Center’s community garden and for the distribution of 1,500 backpacks filled with snacks and resource information to children in underserved areas of Lawton through the Chamber of Commerce. 

McCorkle represented Oklahoma and Lawton as Junior Teen Oklahoma where she showcased her talents on an international stage in Las Vegas for two consecutive years, utilizing her platform to raise awareness about homelessness. Her unwavering commitment and selflessness serves as a beacon to all.

We want to thank and congratulate Markaila McCorkle for her dedication and passion to serving our community!