Teaching consumer and financial literacy to young adults
LifeSmarts this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of providing real-world education to middle school and high school students across the country. The National Consumer League’s flagship consumer and financial literacy program was honored at NCL’s Spring Soiree held in February at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, and celebrated throughout the four-day Varsity National LifeSmarts Championship held in April in San Diego, CA. Educators, students, alumni, sponsors, friends, and supporters applauded the program’s lasting educational impact on millions of students.
Every year, more than 125,000 students benefit from LifeSmarts, as they learn about consumer rights & responsibilities, personal finance, technology & workforce preparation, the environment, and health & safety. LifeSmarts not only equips teenagers with the knowledge they need to thrive in today’s complex, global marketplace but also offers them the chance to travel, compete, win scholarships and other prizes, meet new friends from across the country, and gain confidence as they hone their critical thinking skills.
LifeSmarts provides free resources for educators to use in the classroom and a variety of community settings. Teams of students begin competition online, and later move to live or virtual state matches with state and wild card champion teams advancing to the National Championship. Forty-eight teams competed in this year’s Varsity National LifeSmarts Championship, with Dallas High School from Dallas, PA, emerging as the national winner. Washington State placed second, with teams from Delaware and Connecticut tying for third. Next year’s high-achieving state champion and Wild Card teams will meet in Chicago, IL, April 24-27, 2025, to compete at in the 31st National LifeSmarts Championship.
Another highlight of our 30th anniversary was the first-ever Junior Varsity LifeSmarts National Championship. The event was held virtually in May, and students in grades 6-8 from eleven states competed. The team from Gordon County 4-H in Georgia won, with Kansas placing second and Florida and Nebraska placing third. Our LifeSmarts Junior Varsity program continues to grow and empowers students with the essential life skills they need for lifelong success.
Heading into its 31st year and beyond, LifeSmarts remains an invaluable resource to prepare the next generation to be informed and capable consumers.
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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
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.
