Students from Blackman and Riverdale high schools proudly represented Rutherford County Schools at the 2025 Tennessee Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) State Leadership Conference, held April 2-4 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
This year's conference theme, "Dare to Dream," encouraged students to demonstrate leadership skills, career readiness, and a commitment to service.
FCCLA is the only Career and Technical Student Organization focused on family and helps over 182,000 student members nationwide develop essential life and career skills through Family and Consumer Sciences education. Members address real-world issues such as family relationships, nutrition, financial literacy, and career preparation while also enhancing their leadership, communication, and decision-making abilities.
Both schools were recognized for outstanding membership achievements. Blackman High School earned Membership Campaign Level 3 honors, while Riverdale High School achieved Membership Campaign Level 2 recognition. Individually, students also brought home top awards in various “Students Taking Action with Recognition” events:
Bailynn Lowe – State Winner in Early Childhood Education, Blackman
Elijah Wall – State Winner in Nutrition, Blackman
Mary Puac-Perez, Evie Harlan, and Jazmine Welch – State Winner in Chapter Service Project Display, Riverdale
John Martinez – State Winner in Career Investigation, Riverdale; FCCLA National Scholarship Recipient
Sabrya Thomas – State Winner in Food Innovation, Riverdale
Alexandra Barajas-Urdiera – 3rd Place, Silver Medal, Leadership, Riverdale
State-winning students will advance to the national competition this summer. In addition to their successes in competition, Riverdale students Sabrya Thomas and Alexandra Barajas-Urdiera served as voting delegates, helping to shape the future direction of Tennessee FCCLA. Notably, John Martinez was awarded a prestigious National FCCLA Scholarship in recognition of his outstanding achievements and leadership.
The Tennessee FCCLA State Leadership Conference provided students with an opportunity to compete, build professional networks, engage in leadership training, and celebrate their achievements alongside peers, educators, and industry leaders. For more information about the opportunities available through FCCLA, please visit https://fcclainc.org.