National Consumers League launching 2009-2010 LifeSmarts year – National Consumers League

September 9, 2009

National teen consumer initiative kicks off for new academic year with new resources and supporters for biggest year yet

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, D.C.—The National Consumers League announced the start of the 2009-2010 LifeSmarts season, with a new competition year beginning Sept. 14 at the program’s online home, www.lifesmarts.org, along with a variety of new resources for state coordinators, educators, and youth. LifeSmarts is an educational competition that tests middle school and high school students nationwide on real-life consumer issues through online quizzes and live contests. While the competition formally begins Sept. 14, students and coaches may register online and begin taking practice quizzes and downloading resources today.

“We’re thrilled to be launching the 16th year of LifeSmarts,” said Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “This program delivers real-world knowledge to students and then allows them to shine in competitions where they demonstrate all that they have learned,” said Hertzberg. In its first 15 years, LifeSmarts has steadily grown in numbers of student and adult participants, state partnerships, and corporate sponsorships. “Most importantly, the breadth and depth of the program’s content has continued to evolve, too” said Hertzberg. “We’re proud to be preparing our teens and tweens to become the next generation of smart consumers and workers” she added.

Each year, thousands of students answer millions of questions on consumer issues ranging from personal finance and health and safety to the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. Starting online each fall, the competition progresses to live state play-offs, and then builds to a high-spirited National Championship, which will be held in 2010 in Miami Beach, FL. At last year’s national competition held in St. Louis, MO, students on the state champion team from Oconto High School in Wisconsin were crowned the 2009 national champs.

NCL partners with coordinators in 30 states, including Better Business Bureaus, credit unions, state attorneys general and consumer protection agencies, State FCCLA organizations, Jump$tart Coalitions, and others, to staff and promote the program. Interested students and adults can visit the LifeSmarts Web site to connect with the program in their state.

“The National Consumers League’s mission is to inspire confidence and safety in the marketplace,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “The LifeSmarts program, our consumer education initiative for youth, gives students the tools to make smart decisions and feel confident about their place in today’s fast-paced marketplace.”

New this fall at www.lifesmarts.org are dozens of up-to-the-minute teaching resources for coaches, including innovative personal finance lessons made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Visa. Other major LifeSmarts contributors include Experian, American Century Investments, American Express, Bridgestone/Firestone, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Monsanto, NextGen Web, Procter & Gamble, Toyota Financial Services, Toys“R”Us, Vreizon, and Western Union.  To see a full list of current LifeSmarts contributors, visit www.lifesmarts.org. To test your LifeSmarts abilities, take a sample quiz at https://start.lifesmarts.org/. From there, click on “Daily Quiz” to get started.

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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators run the programs on a volunteer basis. For more information, visit: www.lifesmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org, or call the National Consumers League’s communications department at 202-835-3323.