Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Teens from Southern High take Missouri state Varsity LifeSmarts title

Reposted from The Missouri FCCLA Blog

A team from Southern High School in Ellington beat out 12 teams and captured the Missouri State Varsity LifeSmarts Championship by successfully fielding questions about real-life marketplace issues in Jefferson City on February 17.

“The team said it was the BEST DAY EVER. What a joy to get to see them mature into a great team” said their coach, Krista Hampton.LifeSmarts, a consumer education competition that challenges teens in grades 9-12 about personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities, is a program of the National Consumers League.

In Missouri, Merilee Thoenen, Supervisor, Family Consumer Sciences and Human Services, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) runs the program. It is coordinated by the Missouri Association of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and the financial sponsor is American Century Investments of Kansas City.

Teens from across the state first competed online for a chance to go to the in-person state finals held February 17 in Jefferson City. State champions from Southern Reynolds County R-II have qualified for the national LifeSmarts competition to be held in Miami, Florida, April 24-27.

“LifeSmarts participants in Missouri have gained many of the consumer ‘smarts’ they’ll need to make it in the real world,” said State Coordinator, Merilee Thoenen. “We’re proud to have Southern High School represent us at the 2010 National LifeSmarts Championship in Miami.”

Other teams participating in the state finals included 2nd place Ava Victory Academy, 3rd place Linn High School, Sherwood High School in Creighton, Maysville High School, Stanberry High School, Stoutland High School, Ruskin High School in Kansas City, Grandview Senior High School, Hermann High School, Frederick Douglass High School in Columbia and Fort Zumwalt South High School in St. Peters.