Henley Student Wins Oregon Safety Contest
Pyper Fussell earned first place, and Harlee Stephens was named a finalist in the statewide young worker safety media contest.
“Don’t be a fool, keep cool!” by Pyper Fussell of Henley High School in Klamath Falls earned first place in the graphic design category of the 2026 Oregon Young Employee Safety media contest. Image courtesy of Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition / Oregon OSHA.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Two Henley High School students from Klamath Falls were recognized in a statewide media contest designed to promote workplace safety and health for young workers.
Pyper Fussell earned first place in the graphic design category of the 2026 Oregon Young Employee Safety, or O[yes], media contest. Another Henley student, Harlee Stephens, was named a finalist in the same category.
The annual contest, organized by the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition, challenged high school students across Oregon to create either a graphic design or a short video encouraging teen workers to take Oregon OSHA’s free online course on heat illness prevention.
This year’s contest focused specifically on helping young employees understand the dangers of working in high heat, particularly during the summer months. The contest asked students to develop messages aimed at teens who are already working or preparing to enter the workforce for the first time.
Fussell’s winning design, titled “Don’t be a fool, keep cool!”, earned the top prize in the statewide graphic design category. Stephens was recognized as a finalist for the design “SAY O[yes] TO SAFETY,” another heat safety message encouraging young workers to take the online course and better protect themselves from heat-related hazards on the job.
According to contest organizers, students were free to choose the message, theme, and approach they believed would best capture the attention of young workers and motivate them to act. Video entries were limited to 90 seconds, while graphic design submissions were judged on their ability to communicate a clear and effective safety message.
“SAY O[yes] TO SAFETY” by Harlee Stephens of Henley High School was recognized as a finalist in the 2026 Oregon Young Employee Safety media contest. Image courtesy of Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition / Oregon OSHA.
Top three entries in each category received cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500. In each category, the first-place winner’s school, club, or organization also received a matching award. Organizers said the best submissions may also be used as part of ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety and health protections for teens.
The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition is a nonprofit organization focused on preventing injuries and illnesses among young workers. The group promotes safety awareness through outreach, advocacy, and educational resources for young workers, parents, educators, employers, labor organizations, and safety professionals.
Oregon OSHA, which is part of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces workplace safety and health rules in Oregon and works to improve job safety for workers across the state.
The statewide contest also recognized winners in both the video and graphic design categories. In the video category, Carlos Vanegas of Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis earned first place, James Mitseff of Parkrose High School in Portland placed second, and Toni Kimmel of Crescent Valley High School took third.
In the graphic design category, Fussell of Henley High School in Klamath Falls earned first place. Zachary Wilde of The Dalles High School placed second, and Dai’Joniea Gray of Centennial High School and Center for Advanced Learning in Gresham took third.
A video of the full ceremony is below.
Cover image: Pyper Fussell of Henley High School discusses her first-place graphic design entry in Oregon’s 2026 Young Employee Safety media contest.
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