Special to the HT
RBC | Rio Blanco County students turned in a strong showing at the 2026 Colorado FCCLA State Leadership Conference, with participants from Meeker and Rangely earning top finishes across multiple categories.
The number of awards returning to the county reflects months of preparation and support from advisors, families and schools. Rangely students stood out in Focus on Children events, while Meeker students placed in competitive Job Interview and Teaching categories.
“The success of these students highlights the incredible talent within our rural communities,” said Meeker advisor Brenda Hummel. “They aren’t just winning medals; they are building the professional skills that will define their future careers.”
National qualifiers:
From Rangely, Cutler Mergelman, Taylor Fouch and Haiden Garcia earned first-place silver, qualifying for nationals.
From Meeker, Autumn Stallings placed second in silver in Teaching Strategies. Aurora Stallings and Emma Bauer earned second-place gold in Chapter Review Display, and Azalia Breznak took second-place gold in Job Interview. All qualified for national competition.
Additional students earned medals in STAR Events:
Silver medalists:
Sienna Rolen, Meeker — third place, Professional Presentation
Haylee Steele, Meeker — Leadership
Zoie Britt, Rangely — Focus on Children
Rachel Elder and Addison Thayn, Rangely — Focus on Children
Bronze medalists:
Falon Gilbert and Josie Hamblin, Rangely — Event Management
Dixie Hall, Rangely — Event Planning
Amber Castillio, Alivia Green and Jasmine Preciado, Rangely — Entrepreneurship
Kailynn Watson, Meeker — Job Interview
Shailee Rundberg, Meeker — Leadership
The conference results underscore the depth of student achievement across Rio Blanco County programs.
National qualifiers will compete this July in Washington, D.C.
FCCLA students from Meeker and Rangely attended the 2026 Colorado FCCLA State Leadership Conference in Denver recently. National qualifiers will compete this July in Washington, D.C.
