HONOLULU – The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Office of the Securities Commissioner and Insurance Division invite middle and high school teams to participate in the modified 2021-2022 Hawaii LifeSmarts Competition.

LifeSmarts is a free national educational program that teaches students critical life skills through online quizzes and in-person competitions covering five key areas: Personal Finance, Consumer Rights & Responsibilities, Health & Safety, the Environment, and Technology. Teams must consist of one adult coach/teacher and at least four students. Registration is now open at lifesmarts.org.

The online portion of the competition takes place from Oct. 25, 2021, through Dec. 7, 2021, 7 p.m. HST. The top four scoring high school teams will be invited to compete in the state championship competition on Feb. 11, 2022. Due to the ongoing health concerns and travel restrictions brought on by COVID-19, the Hawaii LifeSmarts program will host a virtual alternative to the state competition normally held in-person in Honolulu. The four teams will compete on a virtual platform and the winning team will be eligible to represent Hawaii at the national LifeSmarts competition scheduled for April 21-22, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Details surrounding the national competition, including travel, are still pending at this time.

“Our state coordinators worked tirelessly to modify the program so that we can safely continue to provide financial and consumer education through a meaningful competition,” said Securities Commissioner Ty Nohara.  “We are a proud sponsor of this national program for more than eight years and look forward to reaching more students statewide.”

Middle school or “Junior Varsity” (JV) teams with students in grades 6-8 may participate in an online-only competition from Oct. 25, 2021, to Dec. 7, 2021. Winners of the JV competition will be recognized online.

For more information about the Hawaii LifeSmarts program, please visit www.lifesmartshawaii.com or contact LifeSmarts Assistant State Coordinator, Gloryana Akapo, at (808) 586-2737 or [email protected].

About Hawaii LifeSmarts

The Hawaii LifeSmarts program is locally sponsored by the DCCA’s Office of the Securities Commissioner and Insurance Division, in partnership with the Hawaii Credit Union League, and is run by the National Consumers League. Over 2,000 local students have participated in Hawaii LifeSmarts since 2005. Local businesses interested in becoming a sponsor of the Hawaii LifeSmarts program are welcome to contact the assistant state coordinator for more information.

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