FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 14, 2010

Freehold Township High School students
wins regional Consumer Bowl challenge
State competition on May 10 is next

HOWELL, NJ – A team of Freehold Township High School students prevailed over teams from six other counties to win the Central Regional Consumer Bowl held April 13 at the Monmouth County Fire Academy.

The other teams in this regional competition were Voorhees High School (Hunterdon County), Ewing High School (Mercer County), East Brunswick High School (Middlesex County), Monsignor Donovan High School (Ocean County), Somerville High School (Somerset County) and Governor Livingston High School (Union County).

“We are very proud of our Freehold Township team,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the county Department of Consumer Affairs that coordinates the event locally. “In training for this competition all of these young adults gained considerable knowledge that will serve them well.”

The teams competed in a game-show format by answering questions in a multiple choice and open-ended format. All of the questions were related to consumer issues such as credit and identity theft, banking and fraud, and advertising.

The final regional competition round was between Freehold Township High School and Ewing High School. Freehold won a decisive victory and will compete in the state finals on May 10. The Freehold team was crowned champions in the 2008 and 2009 New Jersey State Consumer Bowls.

Members of the Freehold Township High School team are team captain Jackie Myers, Nicole Haas, Casey Moore, Victoria Shen, and David Domke. They were led by business education teacher Lydia Wagner, a long-time supporter, advocate, and moderator of the school’s Consumer Bowl. 

“The Consumer Bowl was established to increase young people’s awareness of consumer issues so they will be smarter consumers when they get out of school,” said Patricia Watson, director of the Department of Consumer Affairs. “The kids did a great job.”

Since the Department of Consumer Affairs was established in 1977, it has handled more than 50,000 complaints and resolved disputes, resulting in savings to consumers of more than $11.5 million dollars. 

The department is a law enforcement agency, created and funded by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders that protects against consumer fraud and dishonest and unscrupulous business practices by enforcing the state Consumer Fraud Act and other regulations.

The New Jersey High School Consumer Bowl was established in 1997 to help students learn about consumer issues that will benefit them throughout their lives. 

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