Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Al Blanton
When Cody Gardner began designing a fictional restaurant for a Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competition, he wasn’t necessarily thinking about a national award; he was thinking about challenging himself.
The Oakman High School junior had competed through FCCLA before, completing a Career Investigation project the previous year. This time, when choosing among the different paths within the organization’s Hospitality and Tourism category for its statewide competition, Gardner wanted to try something new.
That challenge ultimately took Gardner from Oakman to Montgomery, then all the way to Washington, D.C., where he earned a Gold Medal and placed second in the nation in the Hospitality and Tourism Level 2 STAR Event at the 2026 FCCLA National Leadership Conference.
For his project, Gardner created Rattray & Co., a Scottish-inspired restaurant based on his family history. Rattray, he explains, is a name found on his mother’s side of the family and traces back to a Scottish clan.
The connection gave him both a theme for the restaurant and an unexpected opportunity to learn more about his heritage.
“A lot of the decorations for the restaurant and the inspiration came from that,” Gardner says. “It was very fun to research because I learned a lot about my family just from doing that.”
But designing the restaurant required much more than choosing a name and creating a menu.
Gardner had to develop its concept, atmosphere, and mission statement; determine suppliers and food logistics; consider employee wages and staffing needs; and create a customer-friendly layout. The operational side proved to be one of the most difficult portions of the project.
“I’m 16. I’ve never run a restaurant before,” Gardner laughs. “It was very interesting to figure all of that out.”
His work first took him to the Alabama FCCLA State Leadership Conference, where the suspense began before the awards ceremony. Gardner learned he had finished among the top five, an accomplishment he initially thought was more than enough.
Then his FCCLA advisor, Amanda Curington, instructed him and the other students to dress up before coming downstairs the following morning.
“At that point, I was like, ‘Okay, something’s up,’” Gardner recalls.
In the hotel lobby, Curington delivered the news: Gardner had earned Gold.
“At first, I was in utter shock,” he says. “I didn’t think I would ever do that well. ‘Utter shock’ is the best way I could explain it.”
The achievement qualified him for the National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., where more than 10,000 students from across the country gathered in July.
Gardner arrived without expecting his project to go much farther.
“In my head, I was thinking, ‘You know what? I’m probably not going to place, but at least I’m here,’” he says. “That was what I was thinking the whole conference: At least I made it this far.”
Before competing nationally, Gardner returned to his project, rereading it and checking every component repeatedly to make it “as close to perfect as it could get.”
One unexpected obstacle had little to do with the presentation itself: getting his tri-fold display board to Washington. Gardner and his family eventually cut the board in half so it could fit inside a suitcase.
“But it worked!” he says.
Once in Washington, another surprise came. Gardner learned he had made the top 10 nationally.
He was thrilled with that alone.
“I was sitting there thinking, ‘You know what? I’m top 10. This is really good. This is going to look good for college applications and things like that,’” he recalls.
Then, during the national awards ceremony, they announced the top three.
“Then, all of a sudden, they said, ‘Cody Gardner, second place,’” he says. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I just got second in the nation.’ That’s crazy.”
As president of Oakman High School’s chapter of the national Career and Technical Student Organization for students in Family and Consumer Sciences education, he describes the organization as heavily centered on service and community involvement. Leadership in the chapter has also given him opportunities to build confidence and responsibility.
“It’s taught me how to be a good, effective leader,” Gardner says. “It’s taught me that even when I think I can’t do it, I can.”
That responsibility has become especially tangible this school year. With Curington away on maternity leave, Gardner has taken on an increased leadership role within the chapter.
He credits Curington with continuing to support his preparation for nationals even after her child was born in April. His mother also played a significant role, accompanying Gardner to Washington and effectively serving as his advisor during the conference.
“She really helped and did all of the behind-the-scenes stuff that I didn’t realize until afterward,” Gardner says.
The trip also gave Gardner an experience outside the competition. Arriving in Washington on July 5, he had the opportunity to explore the nation’s capital during the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
“It’s really mind-boggling to think that I was there on the 250th anniversary, in the capital of our nation,” he said. “That was probably my favorite takeaway besides the contest, for sure.”
Back home, FCCLA is only one portion of Gardner’s busy life at Oakman High School. He is secretary of the Student Government Association and participates in Future Business Leaders of America, Beta Club, and Science Club, along with the school’s fishing and track teams.
But when asked what he is most proud of, Gardner’s answer revealed another important part of who he is.
Band, he said, is “really, deep down” what he loves.
A snare drummer and one of Oakman’s drumline captains, Gardner said he is particularly proud of the progress he has made as a musician.
As an 11th-grader, he is also beginning to think more seriously about what comes after high school. Gardner has long envisioned becoming a doctor, though he said he is now exploring other possibilities as well, with his FCCLA experiences helping broaden that perspective.
For now, the teen who once simply hoped to challenge himself has proof of just how far accepting that challenge can take him. WL
