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(Albany, NY) – A consumer-savvy team of high school students from Saranac Lake High School in Saranac Lake, NY, captured the 2009 New York State LifeSmarts title when they defeated 11 teams from around the state at the statewide finals competition last week in Albany, NY.
Coordinated in New York State by the New York Credit Union Foundation, LifeSmarts… the Ultimate Consumer Challenge is a fun and rewarding educational opportunity for students from grades 9-12, from any school, group or organization in the state. It expands the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of high school students in an effort to better prepare them as responsible consumers in today’s economy.
The top 12 high school teams in the state were invited to compete in the head-to-head, double elimination competition for the New York State title after completion of a multi-level online testing program. The final competition took place March 24 at the New York State Museum in Albany, NY. Saranac Lake High School won the championship by successfully fielding questions about real-life marketplace issues, i.e.: personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.
Proving their consumer know-how at the 2009 New York State LifeSmarts championship were Saranac Lake teammates Hillary Pond (team captain), Alex Beideck, Michael Brewer, Alexandra Cummings, Mackenzie Davison and Brian Wolff. The team was coached throughout the daylong competition by Coach Tricia Preston and Assistant Coach Jemell Ellis-Branch.
As state champions, the Saranac Lake team will travel next month to St. Louis, MO to vie for the National LifeSmarts title. The Foundation covers the costs of the transportation and lodging for the students and coaches. At the New York State LifeSmarts award ceremony, NYCUF presented the team with a $500 check to help with additional expenses.
Starpoint High School placed second in the competition, Rochester’s Irondequoit High School’s team placed third.
“The LifeSmarts program has given me an opportunity to realize the importance of continued learning. There are many subjects touched on by LifeSmarts that are not generally addressed in traditional classroom settings,” said Mary Graff, 12th grade student, Starpoint High School, Lockport, NY.
According to Julie Schork, teacher and coach of the ninth place Tonawanda High School team, “Students are able to apply their classroom experiences to real world applications and situations. The LifeSmarts program makes that connection high school students are constantly seeking between what they are learning to what they experience in everyday life. Students who participate in this program will have an advantage in their future careers, family life, finances, and health.”
LifeSmarts is a national program run by the National Consumers League, Inc. The Foundation gives special thanks to the champion level sponsors of this event: the NYS Museum and brassô Media Inc. and master level sponsors ESL FCU, Melrose CU and Municipal CU.
Credit unions that assisted teams with transportation to Albany and other state competition expenses included: Bethpage FCU; Columbia-Greene FCU; the Credit Union Association of New York’s Adirondack, Buffalo, Long Island, Metropolitan and Rochester chapters; ESL FCU; Melrose CU; Teachers FCU, and The Summit FCU.
Stopping by to meet, greet, present citations, congratulate and take pictures with teams from their districts during the competition were the following legislators: Assemblywoman Janet Duprey (R-Adirondack), Assemblyman Joseph Errigo (R-Rochester), Assemblyman Stephen Hawley (R-Rochester), Assemblyman David Koon (D-Rochester), Senator Elizabeth Little (R-Adirondack), Senator George Maziarz (R-Niagara/Rochester), Senator Michael Ransenhofer (R-Buffalo/Rochester), Senator James Seward (R-Capital/Southern Tier), and Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Jr. (R-Long Island).
The New York Credit Union Foundation serves credit unions, schools and community organizations that help improve the financial literacy and independence of New Yorkers and promote the credit union difference. For more information about the Foundation, visit www.nycuf.org.
 Senator Betty Little (R-Adirondack) stopped by to present the members of the Saranac Lake High School LifeSmarts team with citations recognizing the hard work and dedication the winning team put forth. (l-r): Asst. Coach Jemell Ellis-Branch, Alex Beideck, Alexandra Cummings, Mackenzie Davison, Sen. Little, Brian Wolff, Team Captain Hillary Pond and Coach Tricia Preston. |
 The Saranac Lake team, with their first place trophy aloft, celebrates their state title following the New York State LifeSmarts finals competition in Albany, NY. Pictured (l-r): Coach Tricia Preston, Team Captain Hillary Pond, Alexandra Cummings, Alex Beideck, Brian Wolff, Mackenzie Davison, and Asst. Coach Jemell Ellis-Branch. |
