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LEAP – LifeSmarts Engagement Advisory Panel

Be a LifeSmarts Leader

LEAP(LifeSmarts Engagement Advisory Panel) is a panel composed of outstanding LifeSmarts students chosen through a yearly nomination process.  LEAP members partner with national staff to provide youth voice for the LifeSmarts program. They create program ideas, provide advice on programming ideas and events, help promote LifeSmarts nationally and serve in key leadership roles at the National LifeSmarts Championship and other events.  LEAP provides a forum for student leaders to have opportunities to enhance as well as to give back to the LifeSmarts program.

Take an active role in LifeSmarts!
Ask your coach to nominate you. Applications will open again following the 2026 LifeSmart National Championship. Applicants will have a ten -minute Zoom interview in July and the new panel will be announced in August.

Contact Cheryl Varnadoe, LifeSmarts Program Director, to learn more or to contact our LEAP members at cherylv@nclnet.org.

Meet the 2025-2026 LifeSmarts LEAP Members

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Mahi Dhol

Pennsylvania

Name: Mahi Dhol

Age: 17

State: Pennsylvania

Grade: 12th

Mahi is a member of the Dallas High School Lifesmarts Team from Dallas High School in Pennsylvania.

Quote: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently”- Henry Ford

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: One of the things I enjoyed most about my experience in LifeSmarts is the opportunity it brings to get closer to your teammates.  It also offers insights about important aspects of life not often taught in school, along with offering a variety of scholarships.

Favorite category: Personal Finance and Health and Safety

What do I do in my free time: I love to cook, eat, sleep, play tennis, and talk to others 🙂

“With activities like SpeedSmarts and the sister team activities, LifeSmarts proves to be a place where you can meet new people and deepen friendships.”

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Cole Weber

Colorado

Name: Cole Weber

Age: 16

State: Colorado

Cole is a member of the Colorado 4-H Team in Colorado

Quote: “You only live once so try and say yes to everything” -Joshua Bell

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I love meeting new people and networking. I love to learn from other people and hang out with my team. I have met so many new people and still connect with them. 

Favorite category: Technology and Workforce Prep

What do I do in my free time: I love broadcasting my high school sports. I also do sporting clays for my district team, as well as speech and debate.

I look forward to keeping everyone hyped this year and LifeSmarts 2026 is going to be a hit!

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Andrian Danilov

North Dakota

Name: Andrian Danilov

Age: 18

State: North Dakota

Grade: 12th

Andrian is a member of the The Money Hounds from Litchville Marion High School in North Dakota. 

Quote: TOUCHDOWN LAMAR JACKSON!!!!

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Getting to know new people and exploring the city

Favorite category: Personal Finance

What do I do in my free time: I play football and basketball. I also enjoy cooking and playing video games. Another thing I do in my free time is watch the Baltimore Ravens play.

I feel blessed to have been able to compete at nationals for the last three years. 

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Niya Patel

Illinois

Name: Niya Patel

Age: 16

State: Illinois

Grade: 11th

Niya is a member of the West Chicago Community High School Varsity Team in Illinois

Quote: “hard work + prayers = success” 

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I love how close I am with my team and all the funny inside jokes we made all throughout last year, especially at Nationals!

Favorite category: Technology and Workforce Prep!

I am so excited to see new faces and for this new year of LifeSmarts!! ♡♡

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Darray Robinson

Colorado

Name: Darray Robinson

Age: 17

State: Colorado

Grade: 12th

Darray is a member of the Colorado Preparatory Academy LifeSmarts FBLA Team in Colorado and also represents FBLA as a District officer and competitor.

Quote: “Leadership is about lifting others up before yourself.”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: My favorite thing about LifeSmarts is the teamwork and new experiences! Nationals gave me the chance to learn with my friends, think on my feet, and meet so many new people from different states!

Favorite category: Consumer Rights

What do I do in my free time: In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends at malls, practicing public speaking, writing and playing games like Stardew Valley.

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Kayden Mort

Idaho

Name: Kayden Mort

Age: 17

State: Idaho

Grade: 12th

Kayden is a member of Minidoka County 4-H Golden Taters in Idaho and a three sport athlete at Minico High School and a proud  4-H and FFA member

Quote: “Run fast, jump higher”-My track coach

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Being able to meet new people I have met and creating memories with my friends from all over the country.

Favorite category: Consumer Rights

I am super grateful for my coach Jeni Bywater, parents, family, my sports coaches, and all my friends in my life.

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Paolo Mascola

Virginia

Name: Paolo Mascola

Age: 17

State: Virginia

Grade: 12th

Paolo is a member of FBLA at Robinson Secondary School in Virginia.

Quote: “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: The Buzzer rounds at Nationals!

Favorite category: Consumer Rights

What do I do in my free time: I love cooking, playing soccer and pickleball, and reading.

“I’m super grateful to be on LEAP and I’m looking forward to a great year!”

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Harith Jayavel

Georgia

Name: Harith Jayavel

State: Georgia

Grade: 12th

Harith Jayavel is a member of the Gwinnett County 4-H Bananas in Georgia

Quote:”Life’s a journey. Enjoy the ride.” – Lightning McQueen

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts:  All the people you get to interact with and meet and all of the connections you get to make, and obviously exploring the city we’re at!

Favorite category: Technology

What do I do in my free time: I like to watch sports, play tennis, and hang out with my friends.

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Makenzie Mabe

North Carolina

Name: Makenzie Mabe

Age: 16

State: North Carolina

Grade: 11th

Makenzie is a member of Southern Alamance High School’s FCCLA club and will be representing her school on the leadership board. 

Quote: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: One of the things I enjoy about LifeSmarts is the opportunities it has brought me; it also gave me such a wonderful experience in Chicago this past year!

Favorite category: Health and Safety

What do I do in my free time: I love to be with my friends, travel, sleep, and go to church!

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William Parish

Georgia

Name: William Parish

Age: 17

State: Georgia

Grade: 12th

William is a member of the Gordon County 4-H Varsity LifeSmarts Team located in Calhoun, Georgia.

Quote: “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” – Talladega Nights

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: The competition itself and being able to visit different cities, meet new people, and make new friends from other states.

Favorite category: Environmental science as I plan to go into a career in agriculture.

What do I do in my free time: My spark is music, 4-H, & FFA (agriculture), FCA, and golf.

I’ve been doing LifeSmarts and attended Nationals for the past 3 years.  I look forward to ending my senior year serving on the LEAP panel and sharing my love for LifeSmarts with others.

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Giuseppe “Joe” Rutledge

Georgia

Name: Giuseppe “Joe” Rutledge

Age: 17

State: Georgia

Grade: 11th

Joe is a member of the Floyd County LifeSmarts team and Floyd County 4-H in Georgia

Quote: “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: How it connects me with other people who share similar interests, the learning opportunities it offers, and the competitions

Favorite category: Environment

What do I do in my free time: I like to go to the gym, go for walks, read, and educate myself. 

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Jaxon Bernstein

Texas

Name: Jaxon Bernstein 

Age: 16

State: Texas

Grade: 11th

Jaxon is a member of FCCLA, FFA, and NHS in Texas

Quote: “If people don’t think your crazy, you’re not dreaming big enough”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Using the information I learn in real-world situations.

Favorite category: Technology 

What do I do in my free time: Volunteering, reading, basketball, working out, hanging out with friends, watching Anime/Reading Manga, and playing Video Games

“Favorite flower is a red rose, favorite food is breakfast tacos, and favorite show is Cowboy Bebop”

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Abigail Moon

Georgia

Name: Abigail Moon

Age: 18

State: Georgia

Grade: 12th

Abigail is a member of Georgia 4-H, Floyd County 4-H LifeSmarts team, FCCLA, Educators Rising NHS and serves on various school committees including student council. She also runs cross country and track for Model High School and work at Harvest Moon Catering. 

Quote: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” – Maya Angelou

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Getting to meet new people and build relationships with others all while learning about new things and new places.

Favorite category: Health and Safety

What do I do in my free time: I love to hangout with my friends, going on runs, going to various 4-H events, spending time with my niece, working and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

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Je’Delle Ross

Tennessee

Name: Je’Delle Ross

State: Tennessee

Grade: 12th

Je’Delle is the captain of the Madison County 4-H LifeSmarts Team in Tennessee. She serves as Student Government Association Vice President, is a member of 4-H, Beta, FCCLA, and NHS, and serves as chair of her city’s Mayor’s Youth Council. She also plays tennis for her school. Je’Delle is the current Miss Juneteenth Tennessee and will be heading to nationals in October. 

Quote: “Owning your story and loving yourself throughout the process is the bravest thing you can do.” 

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Meeting all the amazing people,  networking, traveling and competing with my teammates.  I also value the knowledge I have gained while in LifeSmarts. 

Favorite category: Health and Safety

What do I do in my free time: Bake, listen to music, paint, build Legos, play tennis, shop, and spend time with friends and family.  

“I am so excited for my last year of LifeSmarts as a competitor. I cannot wait to see what the year brings!”

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Brooklyn Luedecke

Arkansas

Name: Brooklyn Luedecke

Age: 17

State: Arkansas

Grade: 12th

Brooklyn Luedecke is the Team Captain of Benton County AR 4-H team in Arkansas.

Quote: “Hold on to the moment like it’s heaven passing through” -Turnpike Troubadours 

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: The lifelong friendships I’ve made and meeting new people 

Favorite category: Health and Safety

What do I do in my free time: My hobbies include playing guitar, working with horses, and public speaking.

Meet the 2025-2026 LifeSmarts LEAP Advisers

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Cheryl Varnadoe

LEAP Adviser and LifeSmarts Program Director

Cheryl Varnadoe serves as the LifeSmarts Program Director  She works with LEAP along with Sarah Elwell.

Prior to joining the LifeSmarts team, Cheryl worked as a 4-H Specialist at the University of Georgia until her retirement and served as the Georgia State LifeSmarts Coordinator. She was also named LifeSmarts State Coordinator of the Year in 2018. She joined LifeSmarts full-time in 2018.

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Sarah Elwell

Assistant Director of Professional Learning at American Federation of Teachers

Sarah Elwell serves as the Assistant Director of Professional Learning at American Federation of Teachers. She is also one of the advisors/mentors for our LifeSmarts LEAP and serves as a LifeSmarts coordinator for the District of Columbia!

Calendar for 2025-2026

  • Applications open annually after the National LifeSmarts Championship for Varsity teams.
    • New members announced during summer
  • Online meetings and conference calls during school year – approximately once every six weeks
  • Host online meetings for LifeSmarts students
  • Assist at the National LifeSmarts Championship
    • Members who are not competing with their team at the National LifeSmarts Championship may apply for a scholarship to attend and help us in-person at the National LifeSmarts Championship, April 15-18, 2026, in Orlando, FL
  • Help with the online Junior Varsity National LifeSmarts Championship May, 6-7, 2026.
  • Promote LifeSmarts at other events you are attending on the State and National Level
  • Other roles and responsibilities as decided by the LEAP members, LEAP panel leaders and the LifeSmarts Team

LifeSmarts LEAP Alumni

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Shaan Agarwal

Virginia

Name: Shaan Agarwal

Age: 17

State: Virginia

Grade: 12th

Shaan is a member of FBLA in Virginia.

Quote: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I like meeting new friends at Nationals.  I enjoy hearing from guest speakers and find it inspiring, and I enjoy spending time around others who are passionate about learning.

Favorite category: Personal Finance

What do I do in my free time: I love to go on long walks with my dog and I love to hang out with my friends after school

“I am so excited to work with all of our teams this year and I can’t wait to see all of you in Chicago.”

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Hannah Christianson

Washington

Name: Hannah Christianson

Age: 17

State: Washington

Grade: 12th

Hannah Christianson is a member of the Selah High School LifeSmarts team as well as the Selah Gold FCCLA / LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl team.

Quote: “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. – Maggie Smith”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I’ve been to four national competitions now, hosted by both LifeSmarts and FCCLA, and I love meeting and talking with people from all over the nation. (Also, it’s basically a vacation with your best friends!)

Favorite category: Consumer Rights & Responsibilities and Environment

What do I do in my free time: I run cross country, so running with my teammates and training partners has been a highlight. I play soccer and love animals.

“My original LifeSmarts coach and FCCLA Adviser retired this year so she gave me 20 years of study materials to type up!”

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Chloe Doiron

Louisiana

Name: Chloe Doiron

Age: 17

State: Louisiana

Grade: 12th

Chloe is a member of the West Feliciana LifeSmarts Team from West Feliciana High School in Louisiana.

I am involved in Beta, LifeSmarts, varsity soccer, Young Life, student council, and my school’s special education enrichment program.

Quote: “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. – Mark Twain”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I like meeting new friends at Nationals and I enjoy spending time around others who are passionate about learning.

Favorite category: Environment and Health & Safety

What do I do in my free time: I enjoy talking to my friends, playing soccer and pickleball, and going to the gym. I also enjoy learning foreign languages.

“I enjoy hearing from guest speakers and find it inspiring.”

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Ganah Elhemri

Colorado

Name: Ganah Elhemri

Age: 18

State: Colorado

Grade: 12th

Ganah is a member of the Larimer County 4-H Team in Colorado.

Quote: “What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: The opportunity it provides to learn interesting and valuable information alongside some of my closest friends. 

Favorite category: Consumer Rights

What do I do in my free time: In my free time, I enjoy reading, watching movies, and participating in 4-H and mock trial.

When I’m not competing in LifeSmarts, I am also the captain of my school’s mock trial team, you’ll probably find me focused on one of those two things! 

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Nadine Kattoum

Tennessee

Name: Nadine Kattoum

Age: 17

State: Tennessee

Grade: 12th

Nadine is a member of the Madison County 4-H LifeSmarts team in Tennessee.

I go to Early College High School and am involved in many extracurriculars such as Beta Club, NHS, Yearbook Club, Service Club, Jackson Juniorettes, 4-H, LifeSmarts, and I play soccer!

Quote: “ No one is free until we are free” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Working with my teammates and learning about topics that will be used throughout my life.

Favorite category: Environment

What do I do in my free time: I play soccer and spend time with family or friends! I also enjoy baking, building Legos, and painting!

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Coleman Mangham

Georgia

Name: Coleman Mangham

Age: 17

State: Georgia

Grade: 12th

Coleman Mangham is a member of the Tift County 4-H Varsity LifeSmarts team from Georgia.

Quote: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard. – John F. Kennedy”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: You get to compete as a team but are also able to challenge yourself and you get to learn about things that you are going to use later in life while competiting. Also, all of the  different people that you meet at the National LifeSmarts Championship.

Favorite category: Technology & Workforce Preparation and Personal Finance

What do I do in my free time: 4-H, coding random projects, and keeping up with all the different things going on with spacke organizations around the world.

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Graceyn Moore

Arkansas

Name: Graceyn Moore

Age: 17

State: Arkansas

Grade: 12th

Graceyn is a member of the Benton County 4-H Team based in Arkansas.

I show Herefords and Black Hereford Cattle, and am also involved in Student Council, NHS and several
4-H clubs.

Quote: “Always stay humble and kind”- Tim McGraw

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: Meeting new people from all over the country.

Favorite category: Health & Safety

What do I do in my free time: I show Herefords and Black Hereford Cattle, and am also involved in Student Council, NHS and several 4-H clubs.

“Make the most of every opportunity you have! Time really does fly, so do what you can while you have the opportunity!”

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Allie Higgins

Idaho

Name: Allie Higgins

Age: 16

State: Idaho

Grade: 11th

Allie Higgins is a member of the Teal Taters LifeSmarts Team from Idaho and Idaho 4-H.

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: My favorite thing is the community that I have made for myself. I have met some awesome people at LifeSmarts Nationals and I love my team and feel very connected to them.

Favorite category: Personal Finance & Environment

What do I do in my free time: Read, Play viola in school orchestra, dancing, cake decorating, crochet and other crafts.

“This is my third year in LifeSmarts and I have had awesome experiences!”

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Ryleigh Hill

Oklahoma

Name: Ryleigh Hill

Age: 17

State: Oklahoma

Grade: 12th

Ryleigh is a member of the Pryor High School LifeSmarts Team from Pryor High  in Oklahoma.

I also am involved in HS, Student Council, and Spanish Club

Favorite quote: “When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump. Otherwise, you end up staying in the same place your whole life.”

Favorite LifeSmarts topic: Environment

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I love meeting everyone and being in buzzer rounds with my team!

Things I like to do in my free time: I like to bake, design fashion, sew, study languages, and hang out with my family and friends!

“LifeSmarts has opened so many doors for me and has allowed me to learn so many useful pieces of information!”

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Sara Ash Sonnier

Georgia

Name: Sara “Ash” Sonnier

Age: 17

State: Georgia

Grade: 12th

Ash is a member of the Columbia County 4-H Varsity Team in Georgia, 4-H, and Grovetown High School TSA Techbowl Team in Georgia.

Quote: “The same water that boils a potato hardens an egg”

Favorite thing about LifeSmarts: I loved staffing for nationals in San Diego as well as any SpeedSmarts events in LifeSmarts.

Favorite category: Health & Safety

What do I do in my free time: When I’m not at a 4-H event you can typically find me speaking and competing in various events such as Model United Nations, History Bowl, TSA, Student Council office, and debate.

“I’ve been in LifeSmarts for over 6 years now!”

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Linda Cumpton

LEAP Adviser and Missouri State LifeSmarts Adviser

Linda Cumpton serves as one of the advisors / mentors for our LifeSmarts LEAP. Linda is a former LifeSmarts Coach of the Year and now serves as a LifeSmarts State Co-coordinator for the state of Missouri!

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