West Chicago Community High School’s LifeSmarts team placed first in the state championship on Feb. 27.

This year’s team was led by captain and senior Angie Jacobo, a multi-year competitor.

“I really enjoyed working alongside my team and competing against some great players. Being able to showcase the knowledge that we’ve learned throughout the year was very rewarding,” senior Angie Jacobo said.

She was joined by seniors Arely Jacobo, Eric Diaz, Zitlaly Garcia-Medina, as well as freshman Alexander Jacobo.  With the help of their coach, Don Zabelin, they defeated their competition with a final score of 95-60 against DePaul College Prep High School.

The win came as no surprise to their coach.

“Halfway through the final match, our team had a 55-30 lead. It was great to see them maintain their intensity and secure the state championship,” Zabelin said.

Next, the team will travel to San Diego, California, for the national competition on April 18-21. In 2023, the team placed eighth at nationals, and is hoping to top their performance this year.

LifeSmarts is a program that tests students’ knowledge of personal finance, technology, the environment, health & safety, and consumer rights, managed by the National Consumers League. Typically, students first participate in online competition, and those who progress to the next level move to an in-person event.