2nd-time winners in financial lifeskills competition move on to nationals in Orlando

For the second time, Sullivan County 4-H has won the state championship in the 2007 New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition's LifeSmarts financial literacy competition.

The team of five high school students: team captain Allen Abendroth, Rachel Shklar, Amy Barriger, Rebecca Mailhot, and alternate Caroline Mailhot, beat high school teams from Winnacunnet, Raymond, Newfound Regional, Mascoma Valley, and Interlakes Regional.

The Sullivan County team will represent New Hampshire at the LifeSmarts National Competition April 21 to 24 in Orlando, Florida.

Designed for teenagers in grades nine through 12, the LifeSmarts competition tests contestants' broad knowledge in several areas of real life: personal finance, health and safety, environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.

"The competition is run like a quiz bowl, with several rounds: an individual round, a team round, a team-plus round with bonus questions, and a challenge round," says Nancy Berry, Sullivan County 4-H Educator, who coaches the team with the help of assistant coach Allison St. Aubin. "In the final match-up between the two best teams, teams have one minute to answer a "paper question."

"Kids work on their own, with each other, and with their parents to develop a broad knowledge base that goes way beyond what might be considered traditional consumer literacy," says Berry. "They practice by taking online quizzes, using flash cards and participating in mock quiz bowls. The questions require kids to demonstrate a broad scope of knowledge and to develop collaboration, verbal communication and leadership skills.

"These are very bright kids, very motivated to study. We meet weekly during the month before the state competition, and we'll continue to practice because we'd like to do well at the national level too."

"The competition is open to any high school group in the state," Berry says. "I'd encourage other teachers and youth leaders to consider coaching a team. It's fun, and the kids develop practical knowledge they need for life."

The New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition is the local affiliate of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a non-profit founded in 1995.

Learn more:
New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition
Jump$start Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
LifeSmarts homepage
What does LifeSmarts teach teens?

Update: Sullivan County 4-H LifeSmarts Team ties for 5th place in Nationals

After winning the state LifeSmarts competition in March, Sullivan County 4-H members Allen Abendroth of Sunapee, Amy Barriger of Claremont, Caroline and Rebecca Mailhot of Acworth and Rachel Shklar of Lempster continued practicing for the national competition held this past week in Orlando, Florida.

Their diligent practice paid off at the quiz-bowl type contest at the national level. Coaches Nancy Berry and Allison St. Aubin helped the students study the areas of Personal Finance, Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Technology, Environment, and Health.

Thirty-one teams competed at the national level. The N.H. team won matches against Rhode Island, Hawaii and Massachusetts in exciting rounds of play before just missing a chance to compete in the semi-finals with the top four teams. New Mexico took the national LifeSmarts title for the second year in a row.

The N.H. students won savings bond and gift certificates for their fifth place finish. In addition, they won scholarships and other prizes at the state contest.