North Providence H.S. Takes Rhode Island LifeSmarts State Title for 2nd Year

Nine teenage teams demonstrate tremendous consumer knowledge during “March Smartness” Competition

March 3rd, 2006 (Rhode Island College) -  The second annual Rhode Island LifeSmarts statewide teen consumer knowledge competition, nicknamed March Smartness produced state champion, North Providence High School for the second year.

LifeSmarts is coordinated at the state level in Rhode Island by the Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition (RIJ$C).  RIJ$C Executive Director, Jim Hedemark states: “As promised, March Smartness delivered a fast-paced competition with enough excitement to rival the NCAA basketball tournament of a similar nickname.Students were quick on their feet, the drama built as the brackets were filled in, and the “thoughtful three” final round was decided by the buzzers.”

Attorney General, Patrick C. Lynch, who served as Question Master during the final round spoke to all competitors before the final and stressed the importance of active consumer awareness and knowledge that will help them to avoid scams, identity theft and other forms of consumer deceit.

For the second year, a team from North Providence High School earned the state title and will represent Rhode Island at the national LifeSmarts competition in Philedelphia, PA from April 22-25, 2006, where they will compete for the national title.  The North Providence High Schoolteam is:

Kyle O’Connor (captain), Alan Chiu, Daniel Irving, Daniel Jacovoni, Susan Bennett (coach) and Matthew Irving (assistant coach).

The second place “Eagle Einstein” team from Barrington High School is: Michael Ding (captain), Noel Barlow, Katie Enzer, Ainsley Judge, Nikolas Raufi, and Karen Proule (coach).

The third place “Coventry Oakers” team from Coventry High School is:Katie Palmer (captain), Michaela Dion, Elizabeth Papa, Maura Ryan, Samantha Struebing, Kathleen Woodard (coach) and Donna Hutson (assistant coach).

Seven other teams competed in the competition from high schools including; Burrillville, Barrington, Lincoln School, and Scituate.

Joining Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch as competition officials, were RI Senator Frank T. Caprio and several prominent academic, business, civic, labor union leaders.  Click here for a complete list of Officials.

LifeSmarts: the ultimate consumer challenge, is a nationwide program of the National Consumers League (NCL) that teaches and rewards teenagers for consumer knowledge in a fun quiz-show format.  High School teams of five students answer consumer questions regarding; personal finance, technology, health & safety, the environment, and consumer rights & responsibilities.  Teams first compete, typically at school, in an online quiz that qualifies them for the state competition.  At the state competition, students respond to direct and team questions in a game show, quiz format, complete with buzzers and a countdown clock.

Teens are active consumers.  They represent a huge segment of the United States’ consumer market, spending $159 billion in 2005 alone.  Further, they carry cell phones and ATM cards, make online purchases, work at jobs, establish online identities and make friends in chat rooms, drive cars, and begin the process of establishing credit very early in their adult lives.  These youth consumer activities carry the opportunity for highly positive as well as potentially lifelong, devastating consequences.

In the second year of coordination of the LifeSmarts program in Rhode Island, the RIJ$C has grown the statewide competition from eight teams in 2005 to ten teams in 2006.  Program growth is in large part due to the major “Team Builder” sponsorship of Sovereign Bank, “Question Master” sponsorship of Verizon, “Scorekeeper” sponsorship of Amica Mutual Insurance Company, AstraZeneca, Herff Jones, New England Gas Company, and other sponsors who are listed here.  The citizenship of these sponsors allows for the program to be run free of cost to students and coaches from all walks of life in Rhode Island.