KALANI HIGH SCHOOL WINS 2024 HAWAIʻI LIFESMARTS STATE COMPETITION

News Release from DCCA, Feb 2, 2024

HONOLULU – Team Kalani 4.2 from Kalani High School has won the 2024 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Competition, organized by the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration and Insurance Divisions and the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League (HCUL). The competition took place today at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom.

The competition tests students on their knowledge of personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. Following the preliminary online portion of the competition, top scoring teams from Kalani, Maryknoll and Waipahu High Schools were invited to compete in today’s in-person competition, where they tested their skills through an assessment test, “speed smarts” activity, and gameshow-style buzzer rounds.

As the 2024 state champions, the Kalani 4.2 team will go on to represent Hawaiʻi at the National LifeSmarts Competition in San Diego, California from April 18 – 21, 2024. Members of the team are: Brandon Tran (team captain), Andy Chen, Jiaorong (Michelle) He, Kyla Iglesia, and Mason Vuong. The team was coached by Mike Zane.

“As we celebrate 20 years of sponsoring the LifeSmarts Program in Hawaiʻi, we are so proud of all the students who dedicate their time and effort in participating in this program, and we congratulate Kalani High School as it advances to the National Competition,” said DCCA Director Nadine Ando. “Mahalo to our staff, volunteers, and community partners for their generous contributions toward making this a successful program that helps our local students prepare for the ‘real world.’”

2024 Hawaiʻi State Competition community supporters include:

Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union
Better Business Bureau
Big Island Federal Credit Union
Cisco
Coastal Construction Co., Inc.
Department of the Attorney General, Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division, Community and Crime Prevention Branch
Farmers Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi Community Federal Credit Union
Hawaiʻi Credit Union League
Hawaiʻi Dental Service
Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association (HGEA)
Hawaiʻi Information Service
Hawaiʻi State Federal Credit Union
HMSA
HMSA Employees Federal Credit Union
Honolulu Fire Department Federal Credit Union
Island Energy Services (Texaco)
Kaiser Permanente
Outrigger Hotels
Pearl Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union
Schofield Federal Credit Union
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business, Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE)

Visit www.LifeSmartsHawaii.com for more information.

LifeSmarts is a national consumer education program that prepares students to enter the real world as smart consumers, by teaching them the skills needed to succeed in today’s global marketplace. The program is run by the National Consumers League and sponsored locally by the DCCA Business Registration and Insurance Divisions, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League.

LINK: Photos and B-Roll

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High School Teams to Compete in the 2024 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Competition

News release from DCCA, Dec 21, 2023

HONOLULU – The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration Division and Insurance Division, and Hawaiʻi Credit Union League (HCUL) announce the top-scoring high school teams for the online portion of the annual Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Competition.

Teams from Kalani, Maryknoll and Waipahu high schools have earned their spot to compete at the in-person State Competition, which will be on Friday, February 2, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Campus Center Ballroom. The event will be open to the public.

Students will complete individual assessment tests prior to the State Competition, then they will test their team skills through a “speed smarts” activity and gameshow-style buzzer rounds at the in-person State Competition. The winner of the competition will represent Hawaiʻi at the National LifeSmarts Competition in San Diego, California from April 18 – 21, 2024.

“This is a big year for Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts,” said Securities Commissioner Ty Nohara. “Hawaiʻi currently holds the national championship title as we proudly celebrate 20 years of sponsoring this program in the state. Thank you to all the coaches and students who participated in the online competition, and congratulations to the four teams moving on to the state competition!”

LifeSmarts is a consumer education program designed to teach students in grades 6-12 about personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities. The Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program is locally sponsored by the DCCA’s Business Registration Division and Insurance Division, in partnership with HCUL, and is run by the National Consumers League.

For program information on the next competition season and/or sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Coordinator, Theresa Kong Kee, at 808-587-7400 or tkongkee@dcca.hawaii.gov. Stay up to date on the LifeSmarts Hawaiʻi program by visiting www.LifeSmartsHawaii.com and following HISecurities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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