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Friday 9 am to 5 pm |
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Media Center
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LOCAL STUDENTS STATE CONTENDERS IN LIFESMARTS
TAMPA, Fla.- (January 22, 2004) - Lighthouse Credit Foundation is proud to announce its team of high school employees has qualified for the state championship of "LifeSmarts ... the Ultimate Consumer Challenge," taking place on February 16, 2004 beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Florida State Fair in Tampa.
The Lighthouse Credit Foundation LifeSmarts team includes employees Ashley Fava and Leila Farha from Osceola High School, Charlene Bostrom and Windy Fox from Largo High School, and Christopher Stansel from Northeast High. Along with team coaches Theron Burns, a Credit Counseling Manager, and Michelle Hunt, a Credit Counselor, the Lighthouse Credit Foundation team has successfully made it to the state championships in its first year of competition.
Each team qualified through an internet competition that ended on January 16, 2004. 43 teams competed and the top 18 teams advanced to the state championship. The Lighthouse Credit Foundation team has been meeting twice a week for over two months to prepare for the competition.
President of Lighthouse Credit Foundation, Mary Melcer says this is exactly where her passion lies. "I am very proud of my employees for the success they've had in our first year as a LifeSmarts participant. Education is at the core of our mission and working with young and capable teenagers is a real joy. The LifeSmarts program has not only empowered our young workers but has also challenged them in unconventional ways."
LifeSmarts is an innovative competition that tests students on their knowledge of personal financial management, health and safety, the environment, technology and telecommunications, and consumer rights and responsibilities. The program is designed to encourage students to think seriously about important consumer issues through a challenging, game-show format.
"High school students spend billions of dollars each year, but studies show that many lack knowledge about consumer issues," Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said. "Through the LifeSmarts program, students learn how to obtain answers to practical problems, like buying a car and insurance, or understanding credit card interest rates. These are important skills that will last a lifetime."
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state sponsor of LifeSmarts. The Department is the state's lead agency for consumer issues, and registers various businesses, such as motor vehicle repair shops, health studios, telemarketers, business opportunities and charitable solicitors. It also operates the state's Consumer Helpline 1-800-HELPFLA (1-800-435-7352).
The state finals in the LifeSmarts competition will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 16, in the Club Pavilion at the Florida State Fair in Tampa. To learn more about the LifeSmarts competition, visit www.lifesmarts.org or contact Larry Reese, the Florida LifeSmarts coordinator, at (850) 488-0163. For information about fair tickets, call 1-800-345-FAIR or visit the Florida State Fair web site at www.floridastatefair.com.
This past year, Florida's state winning team from the Sanford Seminole 4-H club went on to win the national championship, outperforming nearly 30 other state winning teams from across the United States during the three-day event held at Disney World in Orlando. This year's national finals will be held April 24 -27 in Chicago.
The national coordinator of the LifeSmarts competition is the National Consumers League. Founded in 1899, the league is a national non-profit organization that identifies, protects, represents and advances the economic and social interests of consumers and workers through education and advocacy.
Lighthouse Credit Foundation is located at 8550 Ulmerton Road, Suite 150, Largo, FL 33771. Lighthouse Credit Foundation is a non-profit agency dedicated to providing financial counseling, education and assistance to individuals who have need or limited resources. For more information, please call 1-866-342-0000.
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Lighthouse Credit Foundation is not a loan company
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