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California Department of Consumer Affairs Invites High Schools to Participate in National Competition that Prepares Students for their Future

SACRAMENTO — California teens can still sign up to participate in LifeSmarts, an educational program that develops the consumer and marketplace skills of teenagers and rewards them for their knowledge. The California Department of Consumer Affairs, which is spearheading LifeSmarts activities in the state, has extended an invitation to high schools and community groups to participate in the no-cost competition.

Life Smarts is open to all teens in grades nine through twelve and is designed to complement school curriculum. Students work in classrooms or with coached teams to learn about credit cards, consumer debt and financial issues that are vital in today's marketplace. The program also encourages teens to study health and safety, the environment and technology.

The California Department of Consumer Affairs is working with the National Consumers League to promote LifeSmarts to students and teachers throughout the state. Pennsylvania will host the LifeSmarts national finals on April 22-25, 2006, in Philadelphia.

The first phase of the competition is Internet-based and will continue through Feb. 11, 2006. California teams demonstrating the strongest consumer knowledge during the online competition will win an all-expense paid trip to Sacramento to compete in a state-level competition, to be held March 2, 2006. Winners of the state competition will win prizes and a trip to Philadelphia to represent California at the national competition.

More information is available online by visiting the California Department of Consumer Affairs Web site at www.dca.ca.gov and clicking on the "LifeSmarts" link. Potential LifeSmarts competitors who need assistance or have questions can contact Serena Torres, outreach coordinator, at (916) 574-8210 or e-mail serena_torres@dca.ca.gov.

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