STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.

GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

KA ʻOIHANA PILI KĀLEPA

NADINE Y. ANDO

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

BUSINESS REGISTRATION DIVISION

TY Y. NOHARA

COMMISSIONER OF SECURITIES

HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO COMPETE IN THE 2026 HAWAIʻI LIFESMARTS STATE COMPETITION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 5, 2025

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

Teams from Iolani, Kalani, and Waipahu high schools have earned their spot to compete at the in-person State Competition, which will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Neal Blaisdell Center, Hawaiʻi Suites. The event will be open to the general public. 

Students 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 Orlando, Florida from April 15 – 18, 2026.

“Congratulations to ʻIolani, Kalani and Waipahu high schools”, said Commissioner of Securities Ty Nohara.  “Thank you to all the teams who competed in the online competition, and we look forward to seeing the top four teams at 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 and/or sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts State Coordinator, Theresa Kong Kee, at (808) 587-7400 or [email protected].

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Media Contact:

William Nhieu

Communications Officer

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, State of Hawaiʻi

Phone: 808-586-7582

Email: [email protected]