Leading together: Shoals students take top two state FCCLA offices
TimesDaily — For Lily Holder, a simple middle school elective sparked something much bigger than she ever expected. For Claire Bowling, it was a teacher’s encouragement that opened the door.
Now, the two students are stepping into the top leadership roles in Alabama’s chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Holder, a junior at Florence High School, was recently named the organization’s state president, while Bowling, a sophomore at Central High School, will serve as state vice president.
The pairing is a rare one — the two highest student leadership positions in Alabama FCCLA coming from schools only about 15 to 20 minutes apart.
For both students, their journeys into FCCLA began long before they imagined holding state office.
Holder was first introduced to the organization while attending Florence Middle School. She enrolled in a home economics elective called Teen Connections during seventh grade. The class opened her eyes to projects focused on practical skills and community service, from baking to repurposing clothing and creating items for people in need.
“I’d see all these projects going on, but I didn’t really know what they were,” Holder said. “Then I heard about FCCLA, and I got really interested.”
Encouraged by her teacher, Holder joined the club as a freshman and quickly stepped into leadership, serving as a manager for STAR Events — FCCLA’s competitive program where students present projects in areas such as leadership, nutrition and career preparation.
Her first competition project focused on preparing nutritious meals for families and teens. The experience eventually led her to compete at the national level, where she earned a silver medal and traveled to San Diego.
“That was such a great experience,” Holder said. “It showed me just how big FCCLA really is.”
More importantly, she said, the organization helped her overcome a deep-seated fear in public speaking.
“Before FCCLA, you could not see me get in front of a classroom to give a presentation,” she said. “I was that kid that was afraid to put myself out there. Like, what if I stutter? What if I make a mistake? At the end of the day, you’ve got to realize that not everyone is looking at you to critique you. When you put yourself out there, they see so much more than that. FCCLA has truly helped me realize that.”
Through conferences, leadership programs and opportunities to meet speakers from across the country, Holder gradually found her confidence.
One moment that stuck with her came during a national conference when she met Broadway performer Alton Fitzgerald White, known for playing Mufasa in “The Lion King.” White spoke about overcoming his own fears and stepping into his potential.
“That really resonated with me,” Holder said. “I hope to get into acting one day, and I want to be a screenwriter. I just want to be a bigger voice than I am now, and I feel like FCCLA has definitely helped me on that path.”
Bowling’s path into FCCLA began a little differently.
After transferring from Muscle Shoals Middle School to Central during seventh grade, she said it took time to feel fully at home in her new school. Then her Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, Katherine Graves, approached her with an opportunity.
Graves was working to rebuild Central’s FCCLA chapter after about a decade of inactivity and believed Bowling had the leadership qualities the organization needed.
“She was like, ‘I see your leadership skills through these halls. I see how you’re responsible, and I really need somebody like that for FCCLA, especially since it’s starting up,’” Bowling recalled that initial conversation. “So, I agreed to check it out. I did, and then she approached me about being an officer for our chapter.”
At first, the idea of becoming an officer felt intimidating for a 14-year-old freshman.
“I thought it was going to be really demanding,” she said.
But Bowling applied and was selected as the chapter’s secretary and historian — an experience she says quickly helped her grow as a leader. She later competed in leadership events at the state level, placing third and earning the opportunity to compete nationally, where she also brought home a silver medal.
Today, the Central chapter has grown to around 20 to 25 members, with about 10 students competing at the state conference this year.
“I’ve really seen FCCLA grow in our school,” Bowling said. “Even students who aren’t members start to see what we’re doing through fundraisers, bake sales and community service.”
Although they attend different schools, Holder and Bowling already share a friendship, and their close proximity could make collaboration easier during their term as state officers.
“It really helps that her chapter is so close to mine,” Holder said. “We’ll be traveling around the state for events, but it’ll be nice to be able to work together locally, too.”
Bowling agrees the partnership could benefit both chapters and the broader community.
“I think it would be awesome to work on projects and community service together,” she said.
As state president and vice president, both students say they want to strengthen connections among FCCLA chapters across Alabama while encouraging more students to get involved.
Bowling hopes to see chapters across the state develop stronger relationships with one another.
“I believe making a difference at the state level is going to make such a difference in our smaller chapters,” she said. “And I want Alabama to be an example in FCCLA across the country. I want people to look at Alabama FCCLA and say, ‘I want to be like them.’”
Holder shares that vision and hopes to expand membership — particularly at the middle school level, where her own journey began.
Beyond member numbers, both students say their focus is simply about helping others grow.
“We’re not just trying to be leaders for the titles,” Holder said. “We want to build these bonds, and we want to see everyone thrive and become the best they can be. I feel like that’s what FCCLA has done for me.”