By Amy Batista, Special Writer
TRENTON — Hightstown High School won the Mercer County 2015 New Jersey High School Consumer Bowl last week.
The winning team consisted of Dhruv Patel, Akhil Kemburu, Steven Cohen, Albert Dong and Robbie Cohen, beating out seven other area schools in a quiz-show style competition on good consumer practices, according to the press release.
“I congratulate Hightstown High School on their success, and offer a round of applause to all the students for their desire to become more aware of the world around them,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes in the release.
Mercer County’s annual Consumer Bowl competition was held on March 13 at the Stone Terrace in Hamilton.
The event was sponsored by the Mercer County Division of Consumer Affairs, in conjunction with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
Teams from various local high schools competed against one another to test their knowledge on being a smart shopper, according to the press release.
“Being an informed consumer helps you understand your rights and become an active participant in the buying process,” Mr. Hughes said. “Information is your best defense against consumer fraud, from identity theft to lemon laws, telemarketing scams and more.”
The Consumer Bowl was created by the Mercer County Division of Consumer Affairs in 1994 as a way to encourage students to become smarter consumers, to be wary of scams and unfair business practices, and to be knowledgeable when obtaining services like home improvements or buying products such as vehicles or appliances, according to the press release.
Other schools that participated were included Ewing High School, Hamilton High School West, Nottingham High School, Steinert High School, Trenton Central High School, Villa Victoria Academy in Ewing, and West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (finalist).
Andrew Tucker, special assistant for the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, served as moderator for the Mercer County competition.
Referee was Mercer County Consumer Affairs Chief Donna Giovannetti, and judges were County Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello, County Surrogate Diane Gerofsky, Assistant County Counsel Stephanie Ruggerio-D’Amico, NJ Division of Consumer Affairs Senior Investigator Tom Gaynor, Assistant Prosecutor James Scott, retired Investigator Joanne Frank and Mercer County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jason Salvatore. Dave Donahue, NJ Division of Consumer Affairs buildings services manager, served as timekeeper; Prosecutor’s Office Investigator Marc Masseroni, retired Detective Michele Russell and NJ Division of Consumer Affairs Consumer Bowl Coordinator Dulcelina Pena served as scorekeepers.
