ALBANY, N.Y. — For the second year in a row, a new team of high school students from Irondequoit High School in Rochester, NY, captured the 2008 New York State LifeSmarts title when they bested 12 teams that converged in Albany from around the state to compete in the statewide finals.

Coordinated in New York State by the New York Credit Union Foundation, LifeSmarts is an educational opportunity that expands the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of high school students in an effort to better prepare them as responsible consumers in today's economy.

The top 12 high school teams in the state were invited to compete in the head-to-head, double elimination competition for the New York State title after completion of a multi-level online testing program. The final competition took place at the New York State Museum here. Students were quizzed on real-life, consumer-oriented issues in five key areas: personal finance, health and safety, environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.