Gabe Stark
Reporter

Trenton High School student Anthony “Tony” Esquivel earned second place in the nation during the 2026 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America National Leadership Conference, held July 6-10 in Washington, D.C.

Esquivel competed in the Level 2 Repurpose and Redesign STAR Event, earning a gold medal score while placing second nationally. The competition challenged students to establish a budget, transform reused or thrifted materials into a functional object, develop a marketing plan and present the finished project to a panel of judges.

For his entry, Esquivel turned a skateboard, a discarded Missouri license plate and vintage wall sconces into a light fixture featuring a built-in shelf.

“Winning second place at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference is more than just an award to me,” Esquivel said. “It represents the countless hours of preparation, problem-solving and determination that went into my project.”

Esquivel, the Trenton High School FCCLA chapter president and an incoming junior, said the experience taught him to believe in his abilities, move outside his comfort zone and remain committed to his goals.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the support of my family, friends, adviser and everyone who encouraged me along the way,” he said. “Representing my school and community on the national stage is an honor I’ll always be proud of.”

STAR Events, or Students Taking Action with Recognition, allow FCCLA members to apply knowledge and skills learned through Family and Consumer Sciences education to real-world projects, presentations and career-related challenges. Students must advance through local and state competitions to qualify for the national level.

Smith added that Missouri FCCLA participation reached record numbers during the past year, with continued growth expected as more people support the organization.

The Trenton chapter joined more than 10,000 FCCLA members, advisers and guests from across the nation, Puerto Rico and American Samoa at the National Leadership Conference. The gathering included competitive events, leadership development, career exploration, educational workshops and national recognition.

Esquivel was one of three Trenton students who qualified for the national conference. Two of the qualifying groups attended the event.

Trenton High School student Jorden Gannon competed in the Level 2 Promote and Publicize FCCLA event and earned a silver medal with a score of 80%. Trenton Middle School student Ashlynn Davis also competed in the Level 1 Fashion Construction event.

Rebecca Smith, Trenton High School FCCLA adviser, said the students’ accomplishments were especially rewarding during her first year leading the program.

“That’s obviously very exciting and very rewarding for all of the hard work that the students and I did,” Smith said. “We had three groups qualify to go to nationals, two groups went, and then, of course, to have one finish second out of the entire country was very rewarding.”

Smith said students worked hard throughout the year and were willing to adjust to a new adviser and a slightly different direction for the chapter. Because FCCLA is a student-led organization, she focused on allowing members to contribute ideas and work cooperatively to develop plans.

“I was really about letting everybody’s voice be heard and fostering that cooperative environment,” Smith said. “Toward the end of the year, that really took off.”

Smith said she hopes community members recognize the dedication demonstrated by the chapter’s students.

“They are hard-working students who are really working on their leadership skills, and these are the future leaders of your community,” Smith said. “I’m very proud of that.”

The chapter plans to expand its community involvement during the coming school year through additional outreach programs and service projects benefiting different portions of the Trenton community.

Competition goals include maintaining or increasing the number of students participating in FCCLA events and returning to the national conference. Smith said the chapter also hopes to raise awareness about FCCLA and strengthen its relationships with Trenton-area small businesses.

“We have a strong group of students leading this year and have a solid plan of what it’s going to look like for this year and going into the future,” Smith said.

The Trenton High School FCCLA chapter credited Modine, the Trenton Elks and BTC Area Youth Benefit Corp. for providing donations that helped students attend the national conference.

Community members interested in supporting the Trenton High School FCCLA chapter can email Smith at rsmith@trentonr9.k12.mo.us.