Editor’s note: The following two columns originally appeared in the Daily Oklahoman, where Coppernoll is a columnist.

Who could say no to a fifth-grader? Not me. A letter from little Kacy Perkins of Napa, Calif., wound up on my desk with a plea for help. “The reason why I am writing,” she wrote neatly in black pen, “is because I am doing a research paper on the state of Oklahoma and I am asking any of your readers to please send me information on your state.”

Teacher Georgina Llamas-Cruz let each of her 30 students choose a state, and smarty-pants Kacy Perkins asked for the Sooner State. Why would such an industrious, smart young lady choose Oklahoma? The short answer: because Oklahoma is a beacon of awesomeness.

“I thought it was really interesting and I wanted to learn more,” the 10-year-old genius said.

Kacy’s learned a lot in her research so far, she said, and one of her favorite things is the state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher. In addition to their research, the kids each wrote three letters to people in their assigned state, asking for materials to help make a display.

So of course I have to send Kacy a box full of stuff. This is what I plan to put in the mail today:

Postcard that says “Oklahoma” along the edge and has a photo of a cowboy riding a giant prairie dog. Every time I see this postcard, I buy all the ones they have in the store. I like to mail them to friends out of state.

Four other postcards. My favorite is the one showing two roosters and the word “Okla-doodle-doo!” On the back the card says, “Oklahoma: a great place to strut your stuff.”

Two printouts of The Oklahoman front page from Nov. 17, 1907, the day after Oklahoma became a state.

Copy of today’s paper so she can see her name. One more time for good measure — Kacy Perkins! Kacy Perkins, you are famous!

Bus map for the city, along with some other little brochures and such.

Red plastic combo back scratcher/shoe horn with seven Oklahoma-related photos printed on the handle. Often I’ve thought to myself while scratching my back, “What does the Bartlesville skyline look like?”

Green sucker that says “Thank You” for some reason.

Bumper stickers from Oklahoma University and one from Oklahoma State University.

Red wax/plastic mold of three monkeys I made at the Oklahoma City Zoo one time.

Giant Slim Jim stick of beef jerky.

Bar of soap in the shape of a frog. Not exactly related to Oklahoma, but cute.

Used Oklahoma Lottery scratch-off tickets worth $7. Well, I guess because they’ve been scratched they’re now worth $0.

Christmas ornament that says “Cowgirl.”

Deck of Oklahoma playing cards with a picture of a cowboy riding a buffalo. For some reason the joker card has a sea lion on it.

Two tickets from a Hornets game last month.

Some candy in case she needs a pick-me-up in the middle of creating her display.

Show off Oklahoma!

What happened next...

Kill them with kindness, Oklahoma. Or drown them in rose rocks. Whatever’s easiest.

Kacy Perkins of Napa, Calif., wrote me earlier this year asking for help. “The reason why I am writing,” the 10-year-old wrote, “is because I am doing a research paper on the state of Oklahoma and I am asking any of your readers to please send me information on your state.”

Kacy’s teacher, Georgina Llamas-Cruz, assigned the 30 students in her fifth-grade class at Napa Valley Language Academy to do a report about a state. Kacy, because she’s a genius, chose Oklahoma. I mailed her some items and passed on her plea to The Oklahoman readers.

And you Oklahomans, you just can’t pass up a chance to help someone out.

Did she get a lot of mail for her project? “Oh my goodness, did she ever,” said Kacy’s mom, Pam Perkins. “She got so many things, and I mean nice things. People were so generous. It was a little bit overwhelming. It was a lot like Christmas.”

Kacy received shirts, key chains, hats, pins, books, videos, postcards and letters. A local business owner even sent her a lamp in the shape of a teepee. Someone shipped enough rose rocks for Kacy to give one to each of her classmates. Someone else gave her a University of Oklahoma football signed by former quarterback Jason White.

She received lots of letters. One woman wrote her about how her great-grandmother came to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. More than a dozen of Kaye Brogden’s fourth-grade students at Ralph Downs Elementary School in Oklahoma City wrote Kacy letters about what they were learning about the state centennial.

Kacy’s mom said the project has broadened her daughter’s perspective. She’s learned that even though Oklahoma is miles — and worlds — away from California, we’re all just regular folks. She discovered what warm, kind people Oklahomans are. Before the project, the only thing Kacy really knew about Oklahoma was that Carrie Underwood is from here, but now that she knows a lot more, she said she’d like to visit the Sooner State someday.

"It’s actually very interesting,” Kacy said. “I would really like to visit the lakes and parks and even go see one of the softball games (at the Softball Hall of Fame Park). And it sounds really cool.”

More than the tourist attractions and the landscape, Kacy said she’s learned a lot about the people of Oklahoma.

“I think they’re very nice people for taking their time and spending their money or even giving away stuff that they’ve already had and sending it to me just for my report,” she said. “I think that’s really special.”

Kacy’s teacher joked that she might need an entire classroom just for her display, which went up toward the end of the school year. I’m not sure, but I’m guessing she got a good grade. Kacy asked me if she could send a message to all the readers who supported her.

“Thank you so much for spending your time to send me all these things and to help me on this,” she said. “I just thought that was very thoughtful of you guys. I appreciate it.”