LifeSmarts: helping young people become intelligent consumers

“What is one step that schools can take to prevent bullying?”“意识.“这个问题和新巴黎人注册网站相应的答案引发了去年缅因州生命智能竞赛冠军赛中一连串不幸的事件，这些事件在很大程度上超出了新巴黎人注册网站的控制. Judges debated, rules were changed mid-game, and questions were added. 新巴黎人注册网站以一题之差输给了联合技术中心, 班戈附近的一所职业和职业学校，为七所地区高中提供服务. Our dream of attending the National Competition in Pittsburgh was dashed.

Rather than sulk in our loss, 新巴黎人注册网站以这次比赛为动力，今年比以往任何时候都准备得更充分. 新巴黎人注册网站重组了新巴黎人注册网站的团队，任命尼克·詹金斯为新巴黎人注册网站无畏的队长和队长. 回归的尼克-瓦格和本-卢阿尔迪为球队提供了深度和信心. 新成员Leeza Kopaeva和Lydia Giguere为核心领域带来了活力和知识. 结合起来，新巴黎人注册网站以热情和扩展知识的愿望处理内容领域.

LifeSmarts是一项消费者挑战竞赛，其目标是教育年轻人成为聪明的消费者. Some of the material is immediately applicable, some will help in the near future, while others will help students long-term. The five core content areas are: personal finance, 技术, 健康与安全, consumer rights and responsibilities, and the environment. The format of competition is in a game show style, with two teams competing against one another at a time.

For three months, we met each Tuesday morning and Thursday during lunch. 新巴黎人注册网站上午的课程集中在复习前几年的问题集，并适应问题的风格和竞赛的形式. We rotated weekly who was responsible for bringing breakfast for the team; after all, a well-balanced breakfast is vital to academic success. Thursday lunches were dedicated to working through “topic calendars,” which reviewed the five core question areas in an open-ended fashion.

In a rather unconventional manner, 新巴黎人注册网站在没有亲自参加比赛的情况下获得了缅因州生活用品竞赛的冠军. A snowstorm cancelled the State Competition, 鉴于新巴黎人注册网站在初步在线评估中获得了全州所有队伍中最高分, we were crowned champions. 新巴黎人注册网站的奖励, 在四月末的假期里去圣地亚哥参加全国比赛，费用全免.

出发前, 新巴黎人注册网站完成了两次针对中小学生的关于非处方药物的教育讲座. 新巴黎人注册网站对这一经验的记录和新巴黎人注册网站知识的应用为新巴黎人注册网站的OTC海报提供了基础, which completed the first activity for Nationals.

We arrived in San Diego for the 24th 一年一度的生命智能竞赛，与代表32个州的34支队伍竞争(乔治亚州有3支队伍), as two of their teams earned “wild card” bids). 新巴黎人注册网站与乔治亚州利伯缇县4-H的姊妹队配对，她们是新巴黎人注册网站此行的对手. Not only did we mingle and exchange gifts, but we chose to eat meals together, 玩激光枪战, and spontaneously rode roller coasters in our free time. They were our cheerleaders and support network on site, and us theirs. As Ben Lualdi commented, “这次经历中最棒的部分是遇到了来自全国各行各业的孩子们. 孩子们和工作人员的多样性真的让我看到了全国各地人们的生活方式与我的不同.” We left with southern friends and a big hug from the team, Ms. Gypsy (coach), and Vern (Gypsy’s husband, assistant coach).

第一天比赛结束后(海报活动和与姐妹队的填字游戏), 新巴黎人注册网站在17年th 的地方. 就像星期六是大师赛的搬家日一样，星期天是新巴黎人注册网站在圣地亚哥的搬家日. Through four activities (SpeedSmarts, 个人测试, and dominant wins in two buzzer competition rounds), we jumped all the way to 7th 的地方! 随着周日第一轮蜂鸣器的最后一个问题，这一年又回到了原点, “What is one way to prevent teen smoking?” In fashion true to his form, 尼克•詹金斯 buzzed in, and through a giant smirk and muffled laughter, replied “Awareness….of the harmful effects.新巴黎人注册网站的团队爆发出一阵欢声笑语，评委们接受了新巴黎人注册网站的答案. We quickly became known for our fast answers, 悠闲风格, 诙谐的玩笑, and edgy tweets (follow our journey @207lifesmarts).

周一早上新巴黎人注册网站迎来了迄今为止最艰难的挑战，新巴黎人注册网站的对手是排名第四的罗德岛州. 在他们的五名团队成员中，有四人在个人评估中获得了前五名. We had our hands full but we were on our game, answered confidently, and backed-up our twitter talk, earning a 130-115 victory. We were headed into uncharted waters in the round of 16 as a #7 seed, as no Maine team made it this far previously. I was in absolute awe. 正如尼克Wagg所说，“新巴黎人注册网站对罗德岛的胜利证明了新巴黎人注册网站投入的所有时间. 在周六和周日的比赛中，新巴黎人注册网站赢得了作为顶级球队之一的尊重. We were underestimated by no one.”

新巴黎人注册网站的比赛在第一场与10号种子亚利桑那队的单淘汰赛中结束了. Arizona was patient on their buzzers and out-dueled us, earning a 90-135 victory to advance to the round of 8, where they lost to the eventual champions Pennsylvania. 尽管如此, with our heads held high, we debriefed poolside and planned our next excursion, thrilled with our 7th 的地方 overall finish. As best articulated by Leeza Kopaeva, “最后，我的晒伤和新巴黎人注册网站对亚利桑那队的失利都是值得的. It was undoubtedly the best school vacation I’ve ever been on.” Or, as 尼克Wagg called it, “the most fun eduvacation ever!”

几个月的新巴黎人注册网站和练习给新巴黎人注册网站带来了巨大的回报，新巴黎人注册网站超出了所有人的期望. 新巴黎人注册网站提前安排的工作让新巴黎人注册网站能够到达圣地亚哥，并充分享受新巴黎人注册网站的时间. When we weren’t competing, which was about half of each day, we were out and about enjoying all that San Diego had to offer. 新巴黎人注册网站租了一只爱好的猫，在米申湾(Mission Bay)周围航行(向新巴黎人注册网站的船长大喊), 尼克Wagg, 他的大副, 尼克•詹金斯, for a memorable journey), toured the San Diego Zoo, went on a “team run” around the bay, 在海边一家餐厅的上层甲板上吃寿司，看着海豚(也许是鲨鱼)在海里嬉戏, lounged at the pool, and hung out on the beach in La Jolla. We enjoyed a variety of delectable cuisine, learned all about “culture,” and left the warmth of California a more close-knit and cohesive group. As summarized by Lydia Giguere, “说实话，我已经不记得上次连续五天如此大笑是什么时候了. 有机会去探索不同的文化，和老朋友一起认识新朋友，这绝对是一生一次的经历.尼克·詹金斯(尼克•詹金斯)也有同感，他感叹道:“这感觉不像学校旅行。. It felt like a family vacation.”

明年, 新巴黎人注册网站的"新家庭"将角逐"两届缅因州生活超市冠军"的称号,25岁th 一年一度的LifeSmarts比赛将在佛罗里达州奥兰多的华特迪士尼世界度假区举行. 本·卢阿尔迪将作为明年的队长回归，新巴黎人注册网站将寻找另外四名队员. If interested, please contact Steve Withers.

我很荣幸能陪伴这群年轻人踏上他们在全国各地的教育之旅. 正如一位在Operacaffe(圣地亚哥市中心一家备受推荐的意大利餐厅)用餐的老顾客所说的那样, “Those kids are so mature and respectful. Be sure to tell them that I said that.“另外, 非常感谢缅因跳$tart联盟为这次旅行提供资金，并使这次经历成为可能.