News Release
February 24, 2012
Ruskin High School Wins State LifeSmarts Competition
New consumer-savvy state champions were crowned last week in Jefferson City at the Missouri LifeSmarts Championships. Ruskin High School, Hickman Mills C-I School District, took the varsity title over 14 participating high school teams. In the junior varsity division, for students in grades 6-8, Northeast Vernon County High School took first place over nine competing teams.
Nearly 100 students participated at the varsity and junior varsity levels of the competition, which covers a variety of categories.
Ruskin High School will represent Missouri at the National LifeSmarts Competition to be held April 20-24 in Philadelphia.
LifeSmarts is a consumer-education quiz show-style competition that challenges students in grades 6-12 to learn about personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. It is sponsored by the National Consumers League. American Century Investments Foundation, located in Kansas City, provides financial support for Missouri’s program.
Missouri LifeSmarts is coordinated by the Missouri Association of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Merilee Thoenen, supervisor of Family Consumer Sciences and Human Services for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, conducts the LifeSmarts program.
“The LifeSmarts program is a great opportunity for students to learn information that they can use for the rest of their lives," said Thoenen. "The competitions are a great way to showcase that knowledge.”
Teams who participated in the junior varsity finals were:
- Blair Oaks Middle School (second place)
- Bourbon Middle School, Crawford County R-I School District
- Buffalo Prairie Middle School, Dallas County R-I School District
- Camdenton Middle School
- Couch High School
- Danby-Rush Tower Middle School, Jefferson County R-VII School District
- Houn Dawgs (third place)
- Linn High School, Osage County R-II School District
- Northeast Vernon County High School (first place)
- Walnut Grove High School
Teams who participated in the varsity finals were:
- Benton High School, St. Joseph School District
- Blair Oaks High School
- Frederick Douglass High School, Columbia Public Schools
- Ft. Zumwalt South High School
- Keytesville High School (third place)
- Linn High School, Osage County R-II School District
- Lutie High School
- Morgan County R-I High School
- Nevada High School
- Northwestern High School
- Ruskin High School, Hickman Mills C-I School District (first place)
- Seneca High School (second place)
- Southern High School
- Valley Park Senior High School
- Walnut Grove High School
Individual varsity award winners were:
- Personal Finance: Jeremy Wiggins, Southern High School
- Health and Safety: Caitlyn Atterbury, Keytesville High School
- Environment: Josh Buckner, Walnut Grove High School
- Technology: Michael Gunter, Benton High School, St. Joseph School District
- Consumer Rights and Responsibilities: Tracy Graessle, Blair Oaks High School
In addition, a number of community volunteers gave their time to judge the statewide competitions. "It's always good to see young people doing great things," said Peggy Davis, Missouri LifeSmarts championship judge.
Photos from the state championship can be viewed on the Missouri LifeSmarts webpage at dese.mo.gov/divcareered/LifeSmarts_home.htm.