Russell-Tyler-Ruthton LifeSmarts Team Earns State Champion Honors

RTR Team 2 outscored their competitors to capture the Minnesota State LifeSmarts Championship by successfully fielding questions about real-life issues at the South Central Service Cooperative Conference Center in North Mankato on Feb. 7. Team members include Tarin Bingham, Joseph Dagel (captain), Andrew Harper, Brooke Struthers and Gwendolyn Serreyn. Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial’s team LCWM Blue was the runner-up. Team members include Taylin Gilman (captain), Emma Hanson, Aidan Moeller, Brenden Smit, Drew Turgeon.

LifeSmarts, a consumer education competition from the National Consumers League, challenges teens in grades 9–12 about personal finance, consumer rights and responsibilities, health and safety, technology, and the environment. SCSC administers the Minnesota program.

“LifeSmarts participants win by learning to avoid common consumer pitfalls, navigate the government and understand credit card jargon before they have to sign on the dotted line,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League.

Students from across the state first competed online for a chance to go to the in-person state event. The state champions from RTR have qualified for the national LifeSmarts competition to be held April 18-21 in San Diego.

Joining RTR at the national competition via the Norton LifeLock Wild Card program will be the team from White Bear Lake ALC including students Ellie Forst, Alex Miller, Alaina Olson, Kara Windish, Kory Windish (captain). Norton sponsors 10 first-time participants in LifeSmarts from across the country to apply for a berth to nationals. 

Students also showed off their knowledge in a fun version of questioning called Speed Smarts which mimics a speed dating arena. Students were place on teams from multiple schools to answer questions through mini-games about health care coverage, online shopping safety, food waste, advertising and marketing techniques, and needs vs. wants. 

For more information, visit lifesmarts.org or www.mnscsc.org/lifesmarts. 

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