Twenty-five students represented Mathews County at the 2026 FCCLA State Leadership and Recognition Conference, held April 10-12 in Virginia Beach.
Of those students, there were 11 competitive event teams between the THMS and MHS affiliations. From this competition, Mathews had five national qualifying projects.
The FCCLA National Leadership Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., from July 5-10 and the Mathews students will be travelling by bus this year.
“All 11 projects were award winners and we are beyond proud of not only their success, but also their dedication to making an impact on the world around them,” said FCCLA advisor Michelle Williams.
Winners were:
Food Innovations: Crab Pepper Poppers, Lilly McDaniel and Maci Kenyon (THMS), 1st place Gold, National Qualifier.
Chapter Service Project Display: Breakfast Bags for the Homeless, Ariel Forrest, Allayisha Hill-Epps, Leeah Taylor (THMS affiliation), 2nd place Gold, National Qualifier.
Focus on Children: Family Math Night, Eloise Leslie, Jordan West (THMS affiliation), 1st place, Gold, National Qualifier.
Public Policy Advocates, Convex mirrors at Richardson’s Corner, Falon Cook and Grace Keel, 1st place, Silver, National Qualifier.
Chapter Service Project Portfolio: All about the Babies, Shalan Dease and Avril Zammanian (MHS), 2nd place, Silver, National Qualifier.
Repurpose and Redesign, Plarn Sleep Mats, Kate Small, Cora Congrove, Emily Cardenas (THMS affiliation), Gold.
Chapter Service Project Display: Coats for Kids, Morgan Sterns and Hannah McBurney (MHS), Gold.
Chapter Service Project Display: Pillowcases and tie blankets for CHKD (MHS), Mya Schroeder, Bri Thomas, Alex Walker, Silver.
Career Investigations: Women on the Police Force (THMS), Savannah Keel, Bronze.
National Programs in Action: Sensory Support Backpacks (MHS), Abby Henry, Bronze.
Chapter Service Project Portfolio: Care Bags for Cancer Warriors (THMS), Autumn Segalini and Emily Hernandez, Bronze.
Williams said she, co-sponsor Cynthia Hayes and all of the FCCLA students thanks everyone who sponsored and donated funds to make this trip happen.