CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Vol. 43, No. 11
February 27, 2009
Student Teams from Maysville and Creighton
Win LifeSmarts State Championships
Teams of consumer-savvy students faced off in game-show-style competitions during this week’s Missouri’s LifeSmarts state championships in Jefferson City. The junior varsity contest (Feb. 24) involved nine teams of students in grades 6-8. The varsity contest (Feb. 25) featured 12 teams of students, grades 9-12.
LifeSmarts is a national program run by the National Consumers League that encourages students to develop consumer and marketplace skills in a fun way. The Missouri competitions are hosted each year by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and coordinated by the Missouri Association of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Financial support is provided by American Century Investments of Kansas City.
The Sherwood Middle School “Arrowheads” team of the Sherwood Cass R-VIII School District answered the most questions correctly to emerge the victor in Missouri’s second annual junior varsity competition. Second place honors went to the Linn Middle School “Wildcats,” and third place went to the Camdenton Middle School “Laker Ottopilots 8.”
In the varsity contest, the newly-cast “Savvy Consumers” team from Maysville High School held on in the final round to claim its fifth consecutive state championship. Second place varsity honors went to Sheldon High School’s “Sheldomaniacs,” and third place went to Ava Victory Academy’s “Crusaders.”
“All LifeSmarts participants win because they gain important knowledge in the areas that matter most to consumers and workers in today’s marketplace: personal finance; health and safety; the environment; technology; and consumer rights and responsibilities,” said Scott Oberkrom, director of community investments for American Century Investments of Kansas City.
Each September the competition begins with an online competition where student teams vie for top scores to qualify for invitations to the state championship competition. In all, Missouri’s LifeSmarts program drew more than 2,300 participants — 651 students in grades 6-8 and 1,665 students in grades 9-12.
Oberkrom serves as the LifeSmarts question master. He was assisted by a referee and a panel of subject-matter experts who served as judges, including Lisa Hertzberg, national LifeSmarts coordinator. “We estimated reading more than 700 questions during the two-day event,” he said.
In the five-year history of Missouri’s varsity LifeSmarts championship contest, no other high school has been able to surpass the Savvy Consumers to claim top prize and eligibility to compete in the national LifeSmarts competition. The winning team, coached by Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Kathy Kagay, will advance to the national varsity competition, which will be held April 25-28 in St. Louis. The Savvy Consumers also will have the dubious honor of being the host team. Last year’s Savvy Consumers team took fifth place at nationals.
WINNING TEAMS
Junior Varsity
First Place ARROWHEADS Sherwood Middle School, Sherwood Cass R-VIII School District, Creighton Zach Riel, Captain Isaac Miller Regan Rogers Isaac Selland Jacob Lory, Alternate Dianne Hon, Coach Second Place LINN WILDCATS Linn Middle School, Osage County R-II School District Patrick Dudenhoeffer, Captain Mikaelynn Frank Austin Bauer Courtney Barker Kyli Doke, Alternate Sharon Baker, Coach Third Place LAKER OTTOPILOTS 8 Camdenton Middle School Lexi Brewer, Captain Kyler Moore Derek Montes Miranda Theis Gage Windsor, Alternate Mary Beth Otto, Coach |
Varsity
First Place SAVVY CONSUMERS Maysville High School Britt Kagay, Captain Jeremy Noland Max Whitsell Grant Hunsaker Nate Gueltzau, Alternate Kathy Kagay, Coach Second Place SHELDOMANIACS Sheldon High School Jeremiah Lamb, Captain Brittany Danner Ben Spencer Melinda Crowley Josh Coquillette, Alternate Christy Lockard, Coach Third Place CRUSADERS Ava Victory Academy, Ava Jason Jakusz, Captain Delaney Sweeney Tyler Leclear Shikara Walsh Liz Moffett, Alternate Cleta Sweeney, Coach |