Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
KA ʻOIHANA PILI KĀLEPA

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KIAʻĀINA

NADINE ANDO
DIRECTOR
LUNA HOʻOKELE

 TY Y. NOHARA
ACTING SECURITIES COMMISSIONER

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 17, 2023

 MARYKNOLL SCHOOL WINS 2023 HAWAIʻI LIFESMARTS STATE COMPETITION

HONOLULU – The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ (DCCA) Business Registration and Insurance Division and Hawaiʻi Credit Union League (HCUL) announces that the team from Maryknoll School is the winner of the annual Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Competition, held 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 online test, “speed smarts” activity, and game show-style buzzer rounds.

As the 2023 state champions, Maryknoll School will go on to represent Hawaiʻi at the National LifeSmarts Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio from April 27 through 30, 2023. Members of the team are: Chris Ho (team captain), Adam Nelson, Maddy Agustin, Benson Leung, and Kaitlyn Mcleod-Asahan. The team was coached by Kit-U Wong.

“We are excited that Maryknoll School will represent Hawaiʻi at the National Competition,” said Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Director Nadine Ando. “We are proud to host a program like Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts, which teaches students practical knowledge and skills that can help them face many of life’s challenges. Mahalo to our staff, volunteers, and community partners for their generous support of such a great event.”

2023 Hawaiʻi State Competition Community Supporters include:

• Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union
• Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific
• Big Island Federal Credit Union
• Cisco Systems Inc.
• Coastal Construction Company 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 Information Service
• Hawaiʻi State Federal Credit Union
• HMSA
• HMSA Employees Federal Credit Union
• Honolulu Fire Department Federal Credit Union
• Island Energy Services (Texaco)
• Kualoa Ranch Hawaiʻi Inc.
• Pasha Group and Pasha Hawaiʻi
• Pearl Hawaiʻi Federal Credit Union
• Schofield Federal Credit Union
• University of Hawaiʻi 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 Division, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League.

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 Maryknoll Champion Team: (L-R: Coach Kit-U Wong, Benson Leung, Adam Nelson, Kaitlyn Mcleod-Asahan, Maddy Agustin, and Team Captain Chris Ho.)

 Additional Photos and B-Roll available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vsVG5sPZPcURfZkovcLGqtN_OpaQIJ8y?usp=sharing

Media Contact:
William Nhieu
Communications Officer
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (808) 586-7582