Reaching the Summit of Success

Smalltown team scores beyond National benchmark, flourishing at State

Walker Davis and Laila Harmon

March 11, 2026

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) team advanced to nationals on Feb. 1 through an online submission. The team was composed of three members: Cash McMillian, Railiana Kennon, and Maggie Kyles. The project that competed was a video story themed on mental health and technology. The goal of the project was to find the balance between an online presence and in-person interactions. The fight to the finish was an uphill battle, as the competition was fierce.

“They compete against every single school that submits regardless of school size — even the bigger schools,” FCCLA sponsor Crystal Leiva said. “They take the top 20, and then the top 20 compete at nationals.”

To come out on top, hard work and dedication are required for a superior rating. Extensive labor goes into each FCCLA project, in addition to the students’ regular schoolwork.

“It definitely takes a lot of work,” Leiva said. “Some of the projects have multiple mini-projects embedded into them, so it takes work and attention to detail.”

FCCLA nationals will take place in Washington, D.C., this summer, where the top contestants hope to reach success. There they hope to learn that their hard work pays off; when they work for something, the greater they will feel when they achieve it.

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About the Contributors

Walker Davis, Editor-in-Chief

Walker is a Senior at Hooks High School. This is his third year as a member of The Buzz, Journalism Staff. He also plays the Alto Saxophone in Myrtle Springs Baptist Church’s Orchestra. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, painting, reading and high quality meals from scratch. On Sundays, he goes to church to worship God with the Hooks community he calls home. Two Bible verses he lives by strictly, are: Leviticus 19:18, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” and Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Laila Harmon, Assistant Editor

Laila is a senior at Hooks High School who is taking journalism for the third year in a row. Her favorite activities consist of drawing, painting, helping her peers, and participating in art or UIL competitions. She hopes to get into photography this year and participate in taking photos for The Buzz. She’s not sure if she’s going to pursue a career in journalism, but she enjoys writing and editing stories for The Buzz.