Why should your school or organization participate in LifeSmarts?
Today’s teenagers are bombarded with information and marketing in ways that were virtually unknown even 10 years ago. The choices they make about money, technology, their health, etc., will shape their lives—so it’s crucial that they have the knowledge and skills to make the right choices.
By participating in LifeSmarts, teenagers learn how to be responsible, independent consumers who are truly prepared for today’s fast-paced, dynamic marketplace. While training and competing with their peers, they learn how to:
• manage money;
• lead a healthy life;
• keep themselves and others safe;
• benefit from technology; and
• recognize how their decisions impact the environment.
Along the way, they develop teamwork skills, self-esteem, verbal communication skills and leadership abilities that will benefit them in college and throughout their lives.
The ultimate goal? When they’ve finished LifeSmarts, young adults will take the knowledge they have gained and use it to create stronger families and communities.
How to participate
1. Form a team: LifeSmarts is open to youth from any school, group or community-based organization in every state and U.S. Territory. Students in grades 6-8 can compete at the junior varsity level in the online competition only. Students in grades 9-12 can compete at the varsity level, which includes the online competition, the wiiner of which will move on to the national championship.
2. Register your team: There are no registration fees to participate. Before your team can begin competing, you’ll need to register online as a coach, then register your team, then each participating member of the team will need to register as a player.
3. Train and practice: Encourage your team members to take practice quizzes individually or as a group. There are many helpful resources available to you and your students on the LifeSmarts website
4. Compete: Your team members will need to complete a series of three 20-question quizzes for a final score anytime between now and Feb. 3, 2011. The top five scores from your team will be used to calculate the team score.
NYS Varsity Championship:
Teams compete in an Internet-based competition, anytime between September 12, 2011 and February 3, 2012, where players complete a series of three 20-question quizzes for a final score. The top five scores from each team are used to calculate the score. There will be no in-person NYS championship competition for the 2011-2012 season. The top NY scoring team from the online competition will move on to compete in the National Championship which will be held in Philadelphia, PA at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Saturday April 21 through Tuesday April 24, 2012.
Info Sheet for Coaches: Coaches Corner, how to register a team, retrieving a lost coach code, how to check student & team scores, etc.
Personal finance, economics and financial education websites:
• LifeSmarts Coaches Guide
• General LifeSmarts Information and Coaching Materials Order Form
• Credit Union National Association
• FDIC Money Smart Curriculum
• Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
• National Credit Union Administration
• National Endowment for Financial Education® (NEFE®)
• Credit Union Association of New York
• New York State Financial Literacy Coalition
• World Council of Credit Unions
• US Department of Treasury
• Financial Literacy and Education Commission
