Vol. 41, No. 12
February 23 , 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Nine High School Teams to Compete
for Statewide Consumer Challenge Title
Nine high school student teams across the state will compete Wednesday (Feb. 28) in the 2007 Missouri LifeSmarts Competition in Jefferson City.
LifeSmarts, the ultimate consumer challenge, is a fun educational program that develops the consumer and marketplace skills and knowledge of teenagers. Teams of students in grades 9-12 test their consumer smarts in the areas of personal finance, consumer rights and responsibilities, health and safety, technology, and the environment.
The National Consumers League created the LifeSmarts program in 2001. The first Missouri LifeSmarts competition was held in 2004. It is sponsored by the career and student organization, Missouri Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). American Century Investments of Kansas City is the financial sponsor assisting with Missouri’s competition at the state and national levels.
“LifeSmarts helps teens become better decision-makers and savvier consumers,” said Nancy Headrick, assistant commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. “It makes them aware of their rights and responsibilities as consumers, teaches them how to spot and avoid scams, helps them understand nutritional and other health information, and much more.”
Because many teens begin working during high school, LifeSmarts also introduces them to workplace protections, she added.
The nine Missouri finalists qualified for the statewide competition by scoring highest among a record-breaking field of 109 teams participating in an online competition which ended last month. Each team consists of four students with an optional alternate. The team finalists are:
- Bismarck High School
- Couch High School (two teams)
- Ft. Zumwalt South High School, St. Peters
- Maysville High School
- Montrose High School
- Sherwood High School, Creighton
- Southern Reynolds County High School, Ellington
- South Holt County High School, Oregon
Maysville High School is the two-time defending state champion.
The 2007 winning team will represent Missouri at the national LifeSmarts competition at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, April 21-24, during Financial Literacy Month.
For more information, contact Merilee Thoenen, coordinator of Missouri LifeSmarts, Family and Consumer Sciences Section, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (573-751-6878).