More than 60 metro moms were nominated for our annual Awesome Moms contest, and we are inspired by each of their stories. Thanks to everyone who submitted nominations this year!
Thank you to our Awesome Moms prize sponsors: Wyndham Grand Oklahoma City Downtown, The Spa at 10 North, Redrock Canyon Grill, Mama Roja, Hefner Grill and Upper Crust Wood Fired Pizza.
Congratulations to the 2024 Awesome Moms winner and finalists!
Winner – Tyler Hill
After a turbulent childhood and through a battle with cancer, motherhood is what has given Tyler Hill the strength to transcend life’s trials and provides her ongoing hope.
Tyler was born a survivor. She was born addicted to crack cocaine and immediately placed into state custody. Although she was soon adopted, her parents divorced when she was 3. She spent the next 11 years experiencing extensive abuse from her adoptive mother and returned to state custody at 14. At 21, Tyler became pregnant.
“I can honestly say … she saved my life,” said Tyler of her daughter.
Tyler’s 13-year-old daughter, Tia, whom she describes as a “fireball,” is neurodivergent.
“What I love about her is that she doesn’t identify with the diagnosis,” said Tyler. “She just beats to the rhythm of her own drum.”
Tia plays the trumpet, plays soccer and loves to travel. The two began traveling together following Tia’s fifth birthday party.
“We threw this big party,” recalls Tyler. “At the end of it, she said, ‘I don’t want to do that again.’”
Ever since, the two travel to different parts of the country to celebrate Tia’s birthday. For Tyler, creating memories with Tia is vital because positive memories are glaringly missing from her own childhood.
Tyler also shares the love of her job with Tia. She is the accounting director for Daily Living Centers, a nonprofit adult day services provider in central Oklahoma.
Tia can occasionally be found playing bingo with or serving lunch to those who attend the facility. Tyler and Tia’s strong relationship is apparent to those at the center.
“Tyler always does a tremendous job at work but always makes sure her daughter is [her] number one priority,” wrote Amanda, Tyler’s boss, in her Awesome Moms nomination of Tyler.
Tyler also credits Tia with sparking her hobby as a skilled woodworker. While pregnant, Tyler couldn’t find nursery furniture she liked. Longing for something unique, she bought a crib and restored it.
Tyler started making her own furniture from watching YouTube and virtual woodworking classes and then began teaching classes. Tyler even participated in a nationwide DIY Network online contest and reached the top 10 contestants.
Tyler’s woodworking and her friends have helped her survive difficult circumstances as an adult.
Following a miscarriage, she built herself a bed. However, unlike the dark days of her childhood, she wasn’t alone in this project.
“My friends came over … none of them knew how to use power tools or anything … but they came over to help,” recalls Tyler.
Friends like these are whom Tyler now calls family. They have offered support at every turn. Diagnosed with stage two gastric cancer in 2020, Tyler underwent chemotherapy and radiation all while still building and teaching classes. Now in remission, Tyler still undergoes maintenance chemo treatments.
“Why do I continue to survive and why haven’t I given up? I honestly can say it’s because I am a mom,” said Tyler with conviction. “It’s because of my child that I was put on this Earth.”
Finalist – Kristen Chewey
Kristen Chewey leans into her Native American matriarchal culture as a mom and working professional.
“Our mothers, and women in general, are such an important part of forming who we are as people,” said Kristen.
A member of the Cherokee Nation, Kristen’s heritage also includes Muskogee, Lakota and Oklahoma Seminole affiliations. Beyond her personal identity, Kristen’s deep-rooted connection to her roots has shaped her values of compassion and community, evident through her devotion to her family in times of crisis.
When Kristen’s niece’s boyfriend was badly injured in a car accident, Kristen spent weeks attending to the needs of her 8-months-pregnant niece.
“Whenever you’re a mom, you have to mother other mothers,” said Kristen.
When her grandmother entered her final stages of life, Kristen assumed the role of caregiver, honoring her grandmother’s legacy.
“I try to keep it in the spirit of how my grandmother treated us … I think I was just repaying the kindness and love that she gave me,” said Kristen.
The matriarchal thread has also been woven into Kristen’s professional life and desire to give back to the community.
Kristen is director of institutional research at Rose State College, where she is responsible for data and information technology. She is also a member of Matriarch, a female-led nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Native American women. She was recently accepted into Rematriation, a new leadership program for Indigenous women in STEM.
“It’s just amazing to make connections with other Indigenous women who are trailblazing where there aren’t many Indigenous women, especially in higher education,” said Kristen.
The program has helped Kristen’s daughters see what it’s like to navigate being a woman of color in spaces where there are few present.
As a family, Kristen and her four kids enjoy spending time together watching movies and going to Frontier City. As the matriarch in her own household, Kristen’s legacy of kindness is reflected in her kids.
“Getting compliments [that] your kids are kind and generous people … means more than any award, accolade or achievement I could ever have because they are my greatest achievement,” said Kristen.
Finalist – Stephanie Boynkin
For high school counselor Stephanie Boynkin, helping students address their mental health is not just a professional endeavor, it is a personal one.
Stephanie grew up in south OKC. She faced challenges in childhood, including an abusive father and being raised by a single parent who struggled with substance use and mental health. In high school, Stephanie left home.
She connected with a program called Upward Bound, a college preparatory program for first-generation college students. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is now a counselor at Putnam City High School.
Stephanie’s own experience with homelessness prepared her for her role as homeless liaison for students in her school community, a responsibility she’s extremely passionate about.
“I help those students who are unaccompanied or between living places with finding resources and planning,” said Stephanie.
In summer 2024, Stephanie will begin the process of earning her licensed professional counselor credentials.
Stephanie credits her and her husband James’ decision to go to college as a pivotal point in her journey as a mom.
“It greatly changed things for us and really opened a world of opportunities,” said Stephanie.
Both survivors of difficult childhoods, Stephanie notes that she and James have worked hard to parent intentionally and prioritize their mental health. They have two children, Michael, 8, and Madelynn, 1. Stephanie’s journey to motherhood was not without challenges, as Michael spent 24 days in the NICU. Then, Stephanie experienced postpartum depression.
“I kept thinking, I’ll get over this … he’s home now,” recalls Stephanie. “Then after a while it was like, OK, I’m not getting over it and I need help.”
Family and community support have been instrumental to Stephanie as a mom. She is grateful that her mother, now sober and healthy, is able to be a part of her children’s lives.
“I remember in high school praying for these things, and now looking back, I’m just so grateful for it,” said Stephanie. “I learned some hard lessons through my past, but it’s made these moments as a mother even more beautiful.”
