Massachusetts State co-Coordinator Sharon St. Louis with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston reports that the LifeSmarts State Competition held March 10 was very successful, with a total of 16 varsity teams and 3 Junior Varsity teams competing. The winning team from Palmer High School, coached by Helena Naglack, is pictured here. Congratulations!
By Brandi Williams, LifeSmarts Program Assistant
With a format that closely resembles the National LifeSmarts Championship, the Virginia LifeSmarts Competition is a fast-paced, energy-packed event that is fun to both watch and be a part of. The Virginia LifeSmarts competition was held on March 5 in Richmond, just 100 miles away from the National Consumers League’s Washington, DC office. I kept my fingers crossed all the way there, in hopes that I’d brought along the right shoes – the Virginia LifeSmarts Coalition, which coordinates the state program, puts everyone to work!
Virginia LifeSmarts held its 15th state competition at the Virginia Commonwealth University campus located in downtown Richmond. Hosting 11 teams and running up to five competition rooms simultaneously, Virginia’s competition was a busy one that required the combined efforts of coalition members and volunteers to run smoothly and effectively. The LifeSmarts Coalition, headed by Dr. Celia Hayhoe of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), recruited and coordinated more than 30 volunteers to officiate in competition rooms.
As each match increased in difficulty, the final round of competition was between George C. Marshall High School and Maggie Walker Governor’s School. Teams in the audience cheered these surviving two teams on, as they battled it out for the state title. At the end of a nail-biting match, the Maggie Walker Green Dragons eventually took the Virginia State Champion title.
Teams and officials were particularly excited to have the Honorable Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia, officiate as Question Master for the final round of competition. General Cuccinelli was a natural first-time QM, making sure that the top two teams were at ease on the final match stage. Question Master for the semi-final rounds of competition was Assistant Attorney General Courtney Malveaux, a long-time supporter of LifeSmarts and regular volunteer official at the Virginia LifeSmarts competition.
By Lisa Hertzberg, LifeSmarts Program Director
What an exciting day of competition in Minnesota! The Minnesota State LifeSmarts Competition came down to the final question, with Willow River leading Prior Lake by just 10 points. The final question was read in pin-dropping silence:
You recently purchased fuel at a gas station and believe you did not receive as much gas as the pump indicates. Who would investigate this?
A Willow River student buzzed in–but the answer given was incorrect. The question was re-read and a Prior Lake student buzzed in – with a chance to tie the match and send it to overtime – but also gave an incorrect answer.
The dramatic end to the competition made one thing certain: none of the students on stage or in the audience will ever put gas in their car again without remembering the correct answer (your state, county or local Department of Weights & Measures).
Willow River won the nail-biter 90-80 to repeat as state champions, moving through the double-elimination grid with its only loss to Prior Lake in the semi-finals. Congratulations to Willow River Coach Lois Johnson and her team!
In hosting the competition, State Coordinators Maili Frison and Barb Grieman were joined by a number of their fellow staff members from the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota, including President Dana Badgerow, who congratulated all the teams and presented a $1,500 travel grant to the winning state champions to use towards getting to the national event in Miami.
Fifteen teams competed hard throughout the day and all teams are to be commended for the consumer smarts they demonstrated during the day-long event held at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul, MN.
By Lisa Hertzberg, LifeSmarts Program Director
I just returned from a very successful
For years, Zabelin has always had a great group of volunteer competition officials representing organizations such as the IL AGO, FTC, IL Securities Commission, Money Management International, Bridgestone, and
This competition marked the end of an era, as Zabelin passed the torch to Debra Bartman, who will take over the role of Illinois state coordinator this summer. We wish Don the best as he retires after 33 years of teaching – congratulations on a wonderful career! Don, stay in touch – and don’t forget to write several hundred LifeSmarts questions for us in your newly-found spare time!
By Brandi Williams, LifeSmarts Program Assistant
This just in from the Evergreen State: A winner has been declared in Washington! Cheney High School has taken the crown of Washington State LifeSmarts Champions and are headed to Miami.
Wency Offril, in the office of the state coordinator, reports that Rob McKenna, Washington State Attorney General, stopped by the state competition, held earlier this month to make welcome remarks to the students, teachers, and coaches before the day of matches started and was gracious enough to stay to take pictures with each team.
Chief of the Consumer Protection Division had a great time serving as Question Master. Offril thanked coordinator Will Rance and his team of WSECU volunteers for putting on a fun day for all involved.
Follow the excitement of this and other Lifestate state competitions and the media coverage we’re seeing on our site.
Earlier this month, the Vermont LifeSmarts program, coordinated by VT Jump$tart, hosted their state LifeSmarts championship at the
Six teams -- made up of all first-time LifeSmarts competitors -- fought for the title and the chance to compete in Miami: the Dream Team from Champlain Valley Union High School; the Iron Chefs of Biz, North Country Career Center; the Lamoille Union High School Lancers; the Winooski High School Spartans; Carpe Diem from Green Mountain Technology and Career Center; and Common Grounds, the team from the Stafford Technical Center.
Emerging victorious, with a final score of 155 to 130, were the Iron Chefs of Biz, hailing from
“They were neck-and-neck until the team-plus questions, and then The Iron Chefs of Biz pulled ahead and retained the lead through the team activity and Challenge Round,” said Lynette Kemp, a
Due to the generous donations of Vermont state LifeSmarts sponsors, National Life Group; VSECU; Grippin, Donlan and Roche; Carol Jenkins; and WVMT/WXXX radio, all expenses are paid (except for a few meals perhaps) so the state champs from the Green Mountain State can focus on preparing to compete against the best of the rest from across the country April 24-27.
“The Iron Chefs of Biz will be studying hard and practicing for the nationals. This is their first trip to the nationals, and they are excited to be able to participate,” said Debra Behm, who coordinates the program with Kemp.
Coordinators Kemp and Behm attribute the state competition’s success to volunteers from New Hampshire: Dan Hebert, NH Jump$tart president and New England regional director, and two others from the Granite State’s Jump$tart program, Kathy Belanger and David Rienzo, who traveled to Vermont to help Vermont with its state competition. The
Congratulations to the winning team, and good luck at Nationals in April!
The National Consumers League is excited to announce the upcoming 16th Annual LifeSmarts National Championship, a fast and fun event where student teams representing more than 30 states compete for the National LifeSmarts Champion title.
Check back here for more information on Nationals, including info about deadlines and forms for student teams, volunteer officials and guests. Please contact Brandi Williams at the National Consumers League (brandiw@nclnet.org) if you need additional information.
2010 National LifeSmarts Championship Dates
Saturday, April 24, 2010 - Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Check out where the resort is located! Mid-way through a pretty rough winter, many of us sure are ready for some beach time!
All competitions and LifeSmarts activities will take place at the Miami Beach Resort. All teams should stay at the Miami Beach Resort.
