County of Monmouth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 11, 2009

Local teens recognized for repeat of state championship
Freehold Twp. team takes State Consumer Bowl crown for 2nd year

Image of the 2009 Freehold Township Consumer Bowl team who won the NJ State Consumer Bowl
Pictured: Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow (far left), Freeholder Lillian Burry (2nd from right) and county Consumer Affairs Director Pat Watson (far right) congratulated Freehold Township High School students Frank DeRose, Meghan Reed, Jacqueline Myers and teacher and Consumer Bowl Team moderator Lydia Wagner on their win of the 2009 New Jersey Consumer Bowl title.

FREEHOLD – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has proclaimed June 11, 2009 as “Freehold Township Consumer Bowl Team Day” in recognition of the team of local teens who were crowned 2009 New Jersey State Consumer Bowl champions in May. 

“These students have made their county proud for a second year in a row,” said Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow, a Freehold resident and former teacher at Freehold Township High School. “These young adults really tested their knowledge of consumer protection and gained valuable knowledge about topics that affect their daily lives. They have learned to recognize and remedy bad business practices related to fraud, deceit and misrepresentation in the sale of goods and services.”

Members of the Freehold Township High School team are Frank DeRose, Brandon Eggan, Jacqueline Myers, Nicole Mularz and Meghan Reed. They were led by business education teacher Lydia Wagner, a long-time supporter, advocate and moderator of the Consumer Bowl.

The competition began locally in March as a project of the county’s Department of Consumer Affairs, when the students from high schools in Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Howell, Keansburg, Manalapan, Marlboro, Matawan, and Neptune competed in a game-show-style competition by answering consumer-related questions in a multiple choice and open-ended format.

The Freehold Township High School emerged as the county winner and went on to win the Central Regional Competition in April 2009 that hosted winning teams from Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset and Union counties.

The state competition was held in May at the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton. Freehold Township was victorious over Irvington High School in Essex County, the silver medal team from the northern region, and Monsignor Donovan High School in Ocean County, the bronze medal team from the southern region. There were 89 teams that participated in the competition this year.

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.

#    #    #