HONOLULU — Waipahu High School won the state title at the 10th annual LifeSmarts consumer education competition Saturday, at the State Capitol Auditorium. The members of the winning team are: Roel Jake Ibanez, Maximiano Saludares, Mark Abucay, Marc Dave Ramierez and Cia Dela Cruz. The team was coached by Cindy Takara. The team will go on to represent Hawaii at the national competition in Orlando, Fla., April 26 to 29. Each of the winners were also awarded an iPad.
The Commissioner of Securities, Tung Chan, congratulated the winning team and said, “This is a great achievement for Waipahu High School. I’m confident the winning team has mastered LifeSmarts skills that will serve them well both in the National Competition and in their lives, too.”
Teams from Waipahu, Farrington and Kealakehe high schools qualified for the finals.
All of the participating students were given gift cards to various businesses including Target, Subway and Jamba Juice; and the teachers were given gift cards to Education Works supply store for teachers.
The game-show style competition tested students on their knowledge of personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.
The LifeSmarts program is run by the National Consumers League and is sponsored in Hawaii by DCCA, Office of the Securities Commissioner, in partnership with the Hawaii Credit Union League.
Local sponsors include:
· Aloha Pacific FCU
· Experian
· Hawaii Carpenters Union Local 745
· Hawaii Fire Fighters Association Local 1463
· Hawaii Government Employees Association
· Hawaii Masons Union
· Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters
· Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
· Hawaii State Teachers Association
· Laborers’ International Union Local 368
· Oahu Federal Credit Union
· Pagoda Hawaii
· Plasterers & Cement Masons International Association Local 630
· Sheet Metal Workers’ Local Union 293
· United Public Workers Local 646
· University of Hawaii Federal Credit Union
· University of Hawaii at Manoa Financial Literacy Program
More information about the Hawaii LifeSmarts competition may be found at https://www.hawaii.gov/dcca/quicklinks/life_smarts
Submitted by the DCCA