Meet LifeSmarts alumni across the years!
- Brad Anderson, who competed on the 2004 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Coffee County 4-H in Tennessee, offers this advice to current competitors: “Practice quizzing with distractions. Put on the TV or YouTube in the background while you attempt to simulate answering questions. Nothing worse than knowing the right answer but to freeze in the moment because of a small distraction. Also, remember LifeSmarts isn’t the end goal, always keep learning. A good way to stay fresh and gain broad exposure is to read trustworthy financial content and dive deep into unfamiliar topics you come across.“
- Anthony Aronica, who competed on the 2003 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Le Sueur-Henderson Ellensburg High School in Washington, offers this advice to current competitors: “You don’t know it all. No one does. Use the LifeSmarts opportunity as a really great chance to practice different methods to learn. When presented with so many categories of complicated rules, it is helpful to use multiple learning strategies to figure out how you learn best. Being in LifeSmarts will lead you towards habits that will help you for years after LifeSmarts. Always remember to have fun, because this information doesn’t go away as you get older, it just gets more interesting!”
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Emily (Tohal) Chaphalkar, who competed on the 2002 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Le Sueur-Henderson High School in Minnesota, offers this advice to current competitors: “Recognize your individual strengths, put in the work, and enjoy your time together as a team!”
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Tara (Roberts) Zebriskie, who competed on the 2001 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Frederick County 4-H/Appalachian Regional Cooperative in Maryland, offers this advice to current competitors: “Study hard, but don’t forget to have fun. When my team got together to study, we would try to bring new information to stump our teammates, and sometimes we’d bring in information just to make them laugh. When you get to the Championships meeting the other teams is just as much of the experience as the competition itself.”
- Giles Howlett, who competed on the 2000 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Frederick County 4-H/Appalachian Regional Cooperative in Maryland, offers this advice to current competitors: “Pick some relevant topics and do your own research to build questions on that topic for your team. Practice with any questions you can get from previous competitions and LifeSmarts materials.”
- Karl Sakas, who competed on the 1999 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Fairfax County 4-H in Virginia, offers this advice to current competitors: “Success isn’t a straight line. The first time our team competed at the state level, we were eliminated in the early rounds. Next year, we won Virginia and then the 1999 National Championship. When you lose, it’s not about the setback; it’s about what you do next.”
- Suzanne Singer, who competed on the 1998 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Coconino High School in Arizona, offers this advice to current competitors: “Prepare as much as you can and believe that you have the knowledge to answer confidently and quickly.”
- Andrew Stevenson, who competed on the 1997 National LifeSmarts Champion team from Ellensburg High School in Washington, offers this advice to current competitors: “While preparing for and engaging in competition is important, you have a unique opportunity to meet others from around the country and explore a new place.”
- Damon White, who competed in 1996 and was on the second National LifeSmarts Champion team from Darlington High School in South Carolina, offers this advice to current competitors: “Have fun and take time to connect with your peers from across the country.”
- Steve Coleman, who competed in 1995 and was on the first-ever National Champion team from North Canyon High School in Arizona, offers this advice to competitors 30 years later: “Take the opportunity to make great memories that will last a lifetime.”
