INEZ — Martin County High School FCCLA members earned national recognition at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, with two students taking first place in the nation and three others bringing home gold.
The event, held July 5–9, brought together thousands of student leaders from across the country for competitions, leadership workshops and career exploration. Central to the conference were the Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events, where students demonstrated knowledge and skills in areas aligned with FCCLA’s mission.
Representing Kentucky in the Food Innovation STAR Event, Darrian Jewell and Harlie Hinkle earned gold medals and were crowned national champions for their project, Tropic Energy—a health-focused energy drink.
“Presenting our project, ‘Tropic Energy,’ which focused on creating an energy drink that was not only healthy but promoted benefits to your immune system, at the National Leadership Conference was an amazing opportunity,” Darrian and Harlie said. “We are proud of what we accomplished and inspired by the other students we met.”
Fellow chapter members Kenzlee Smith and Ella Lawson also earned gold medals for their project, From the Heart, which they entered in the Chapter Service Project Display event. Their project emphasized FCCLA’s fifth purpose — promoting greater understanding between youth and adults.
Recognizing the need for meaningful connections with senior citizens, the team coordinated visits to Martin County Healthcare Facility, where they and their classmates led activities and created gifts for residents.
The experience, they said, reinforced the importance of ensuring older adults remain engaged and feel valued by their community.
Abigail Osborn placed nationally for her Chapter Webpage Design but was unable to participate at the national level due to her involvement in the Governor Scholars for Entrepreneurship program.
The National Leadership Conference provided the students with a dynamic experience that strengthened their leadership skills, built career readiness, and encouraged meaningful connections with peers nationwide. Through competitive events, workshops and networking opportunities, they gained valuable insight into future career paths and the power of youth-led impact.
Darrian, Harlie, Kenzlee and Ella look forward to applying these experiences to future leadership roles, continued involvement in FCCLA, and creating positive change in their school and community.
FCCLA is a national student-led organization with more than 257,000 members across 5,200 chapters. Focused on leadership development through Family and Consumer Sciences education, FCCLA empowers youth to address personal, family and societal challenges while preparing for careers that support strong families and communities.