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Pathways

Navigate through the LifeSmarts website and competitions with our new Pathway guides, designed to direct you quickly to the information you need:

Activities by Team Type/Group

Varsity: Grades 9-12, open to all students
Junior Varsity: Grades 6-8, all students

4-H: members only, grades 9-12 (Varsity) and grades 6-8 (Junior Varsity)

BPA: members only grades 7-8 and grades 9-12
  • LifeSmarts BPA Technology & Workforce Preparation Challenge and LifeSmarts BPA Personal Finance Challenge: 2 students on a team
    • Create a BPA team with two team members.  One team member must be designated as the captain.
    • The LifeSmarts BPA Technology & Workforce Preparation Challenge held during the month of  January
    • The LifeSmarts BPA Personal Finance Challenge held during the month of February
    • Teams may choose to compete in both challenges or just one.
    • BPA teams can also compete in monthly TeamSmarts quizzes for a cash prize
  • LifeSmarts competitions for BPA chapters: 4-5 students per team
FCCLA: members only, grades 9-12 and grades 6-8
  • FCCLA/LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl:  5 players on a team
    • Create an FCCLA team. 
    • One team member must be designated as the captain.
    • Take the FCCLA Fall Quiz to qualify to  compete live at National Fall Conference
    • Top 40 teams compete live at National Fall Conference
    • Top 16 teams advance to in-person finals event at FCCLA NLC
    • Finals held at NLC
    • FCCLA teams can also compete in monthly TeamSmarts quizzes for a cash prize
FBLA: members only, grades 9-12 and grades 6-8
  • LifeSmarts FBLA Challenge: 2 students on a team
    • Create an FBLA team witth 2 team members. One team member must be designated as the captain.
    • Fall Challenge online qualifier – 12 teams from 12 states qualify to advance to in-person finals at NLC
    • Spring Challenge online qualifier – 12 teams from 12 states qualify to advance to in-person finals at NLC
    • FBLA teams can also compete in monthly TeamSmarts quizzes for a cash prize
  • LifeSmarts competitions for FBLA chapters: 4-5 students per team
SkillsUSA: members only grades 7-8 and grades 9-12
  • LifeSmarts SkillsUSA Health & Safety Challenge: 
    • Create a SkillsUSA team with four team members.  One team member must be designated as the captain.
    • The LifeSmarts Skills USA Health & Safety Challenge is held during the month of February
    • SkillsUSA teams can also compete in monthly TeamSmarts quizzes for a cash prize
  • LifeSmarts competitions for SkillsUSA chapters: 4 students per team
Other CTSO’s, Student Leadership groups or clubs, Student Councils, Clubs, Groups, Schools, etc: grades 9-12 and grades 6-8

Activities by Goal

Education: Free materials for classrooms or clubs
Service: Educate others in your school and community
Leadership: Integrate with existing club programs
  • LifeSmarts 4-H Online Summer Challenge
    • Complete the challenge online for cash prizes
    • Challenge is held the month of August
  • BPA Personal Finance Challenge and BPA Technology & Workforce Preparation Challenge
    • Complete the challenges online for cash prizes
    • BPA Technology & Workforce Preparation Challenge – Month of January
    • BPA Personal Finance Challenge – Month of February
  • LifeSmarts FBLA Challenge
    • Fall Challenge online qualifier
    • Spring Challenge online qualifier
    • Top 24 online qualifiers advance to in-person finals event at NLC
  • FCCLA/LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl
    • FCCLA Fall Quiz
    • Top 40 teams compete at National Fall Conference
    • Conference top 16 teams advance to in-person finals event at NLC
  • SkillsUSA Health & Safety Challenge
    • Complete the challenge online for cash prizes
    • Challenge is held the month of February
Scholarship opportunities and other special awards
Visit this page to find out about special awards you can earn in LifeSmarts including:
  • Awards at National LifeSmarts Championship
  • Awards at state competitions, in select states
  • OTC Medicine Safety Mentoring Scholarships
  • Sarah Weinberg LifeSmarts Memorial Scholarship
  • Making Life Easier Scholarship, in partnership with Toyota Financial Services
  • Team and individual awards and scholarships