Gabe Stark
The Trenton Telegraph

Trenton High School’s FCCLA chapter turned in an impressive performance at the 2026 Missouri FCCLA State Leadership Conference, earning two national qualifying finishes and several other top awards during the March 15-17 event in Springfield.

The conference drew 1,778 delegates from across Missouri and featured the student-developed theme “Red Carpet Ready.” In addition to competition, students attended workshops focused on leadership, career preparation, community service and healthy living, and they visited exhibits from colleges, universities and businesses.

The state conference gave students from across Missouri the opportunity to compete, strengthen leadership skills and present projects they had developed throughout the year. For Trenton students, the event proved to be a successful showcase of the groups skills and preparation.

Leading the way for THS were two entries that earned national qualifying honors.

Jorden Gannon placed second in Promote and Publicize FCCLA, securing a spot in national competition and turning in one of the chapter’s top performances of the conference.

Trenton also qualified for nationals in Repurpose and Redesign, where Turner Wagner and Anthony Esquivel earned second place. Their result gave THS a second national qualifier and highlighted the depth of the chapter’s success at the state level.

Those two finishes would send the chapter to nationals in held at Washington D.C., July 6 – 10, but the chapter also boasted much success from its other members.

Ashlyn and Eva Pagel earned third place in Nutrition and Wellness, while Kenlie McCall recorded a top-five finish in National Programs in Action. THS students also posted strong results in Show-Me Skills competition, marking the first time Trenton students had competed in those events.

Anthony Esquivel placed first in Level 2 Impromptu Speaking, and Kinsley Otto earned first place in Level 3 Venture NLC. Turner Wagner added a second-place finish in Level 2 Venture NLC. In the $20 Photo Challenge, Violet Breitenbucher placed first and Summer Meeker finished third. Eva Pagel earned third in Pin-It, and Ashlyn Pagel placed second in the PR Challenge.

FCCLA is distinctive among student organizations because its activities are planned and led largely by students. That emphasis on student leadership was evident in Springfield, where Trenton’s chapter not only performed well in competition but also demonstrated its ability to compete successfully at a high level.

For THS, the trip was defined by two national qualifiers, a successful first showing in Show-Me Skills and a collection of strong finishes that reflected the chapter’s work throughout the year.