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Fabian Fernandez-Han, 12, Winner of the ‘NYSE Financial Future Challenge’
Rings Closing Bell at the NYSE
 Fabian
Fernandez-Han, 12, Winner of the ‘NYSE Financial Future Challenge’ Rings Closing
Bell at the NYSE
12-year-old kid inventor Fabian Fernandez-Han, from Conroe, Texas, wins National
NYSE Financial Future Challenge for innovative new iPhone App called “Oink-a-saurus.”
The NYSE Financial Future Challenge challenged America’s kids to create new ways
to teach their peers about finance, money management, and investing in the stock
market. Winner is joined at NYSE by executives from By Kids for Kids Co., K12
Inc. and NYSE Foundation
New York, NY (PRWEB) January 12, 2010 -- By Kids for Kids Co. (BKFK), The NYSE
Foundation, K12 Inc. and the UIA today announced that Fabian Fernandez-Han, 12,
from Conroe, Texas has won the NYSE Financial Future Challenge, and was honored
yesterday at a special closing bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange.
Fabian won the NYSE Financial Future Challenge, a contest which encouraged
America’s kids to invent new ways to teach their peers about investing and
financial literacy, for his original new iPhone App called “Oink-a-Saurus.”
“Oink-a-Saurus” is an Apple iPhone/iPod Touch app that combines: 1.) A profiler
that learns about your interests by tracking your Web browsing and buying habits
through a UPC (bar code) reader and links to your credit card statements, and
2.) A What If scenario creator that demonstrates what your portfolio could look
like if you had saved/invested in stocks rather than spent your money. The game
also includes a social network, showing stock selections and ideas of teens
matching your profile, and a news service providing teen-friendly stock market
and investing info, as well as a link to a teen-friendly stock broker.
Fabian’s special day at the NYSE began with an awards
ceremony in a private boardroom at the NYSE, where Fabian was lauded for his
ingenuity by executives from the NYSE Foundation, K12 Inc. and BKFK, and fellow
BKFK kid inventor Scott Barnhill (Kid’s MasterCard Giftcard.) As the Grand Prize
Winner of the NYSE Financial Future Challenge, Fabian was also presented with a
check for $2,500 to kick start his investment portfolio. The day climaxed with
Fabian ringing the closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor, as
his proud parents looked on, and then chatting with reporters regarding his
success as a kid inventor and future entrepreneur.
"Ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, in recognition of
having won the NYSE Financial Future Challenge, has been an amazing experience!”
said Fabian Fernandez-Han, “My idea will allow kids to go from just buying a
favorite thing to actually learning about the company that makes it, to
news/research about the company, to buying/selling that company's shares in a
stock market simulator, and ultimately, for real."
“NYSE Euronext is proud to partner with By Kids for Kids and K12 Inc. on the
NYSE Financial Future Challenge,” said Duncan Niederauer, Chief Executive
Officer, NYSE Euronext. "My colleagues and I want to thank all those who
participated and congratulate our winner, Fabian Fernandez-Han, for his
innovative iPhone application. NYSE Euronext is committed to financial literacy
and entrepreneurship, and the Financial Future Challenge is another initiative
that gives young people the tools to be fiscally conscious and successful in the
future."
“K12 Inc. is proud to sponsor this competition and congratulates Fabian on his
success,” said Ron Packard, Founder and CEO of K12 Inc. “K12’s education
programs are widely recognized for fostering creative thinking and giving
students everything they need to reach their full academic potential. Fabian is
an excellent example of what young people can achieve through hard work and
education.”
Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of By Kids for Kids Co., added: “We’re
extremely grateful for the support of our sponsors, the NYSE Foundation, K12,
Inc. and the UIA. Together, we inspired America's kids to create new ways to
engage, excite, motivate and educate their peers about finance and investing.
Winner Fabian Fernandez-Han’s iPhone App ‘Oink-a-Saurus’ is a great example of
youth-driven ingenuity, inventive thinking and problem solving. We congratulate
Fabian and acknowledge all youth contestants who participated in the NYSE
Financial Future Challenge.”
The NYSE Financial Future Challenge ran from June 1, 2009 through September 31,
2009. Thousands of entries were submitted online at BKFK.com. In the end, Fabian
faced four worthy finalists- and was ultimately named the winner after a rousing
round of online voting and a review by a panel of VIP judges that included K12
and NYSE executives. To learn about BKFK’s current national youth competition,
Invention Dimension, please visit: www.bkfk.com.
To request an interview with NYSE Financial Future Challenge winner Fabian
Fernandez-Han, please contact John Forrester at: (323) 702-3684 or via email at:
media@bkfk.com.
Notes to Editors
Watch YouTube Video of Fabian Fernandez-Han Ringing The Closing Bell, at the New
York Stock Exchange, on January 11, 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJQr7eII4Ys
About Fabian Fernandez-Han
Fabian is not your average 12-year-old. In 2009, this brilliant homeschooler was
one of only three U.S. Molecular Frontiers Inquiry Prize winners. Not
surprisingly, he is fascinated by science and math. He plays chess, Frisbee golf
and has a genuine gift for painting - his passion. His cat Chubby-Chubb (the
inspiration for his winning Molecular Frontiers Inquiry Prize entry) is an
engaging playmate with whom he spends his downtime playing tag. Hailing from a
multi-cultural family that prizes books, education and travel, Fabian is hoping
to make socially responsible investing into his professional career by becoming
a social venture capitalist. In fact, this year, he is going ahead with plans to
launch his own social stock exchange to bring together teens with good ideas
that benefit others, and venture capitalists who are passionate about empowering
youth. Fabian’s winning Oink-a-Saurus iPhone application, which teaches kids the
value of saving and investing in engaging and innovative ways, is currently
under development.
About NYSE Foundation
The NYSE Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation established by the New
York Stock Exchange in 1983. The Foundation directs its philanthropic resources
to innovative and effective organizations, programs and projects that meet
community needs within its priority areas of funding: Financial Literacy
Education; Developing Economic Opportunity; and Entrepreneurship. The Foundation
seeks to address the needs of communities in all areas of the globe where NYSE
Euronext maintains a business presence and funds both new and proven charitable
endeavors that confer a broad public benefit.
Read more about Corporate Responsibility at NYSE Euronext.
http://www.nysefoundation.org/
About K12 Inc.
K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), a technology-based education company, is the nation's
largest provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs to
students in kindergarten through high school. K12 provides high quality,
customized education solutions to school districts, charter schools, and
directly to families ranging from individual courses to classroom and hybrid
programs to full-time virtual school programs. Since K12 was founded in 1999, it
has delivered over 1.5 million courses to students worldwide. Over 60,000
students in twenty-five states are enrolled in virtual schools operated by K12.
The company also operates the K12 International Academy, an accredited,
diploma-granting online private school serving students in over 40 countries.
K12's mission is to provide any child the curriculum and tools to maximize
success in life, regardless of geographic, financial, or demographic
circumstances. More information can be found at www.K12.com.
About By Kids for Kids Co.
By Kids for Kids® (BKFK®) is a platform that empowers youth invention,
innovation and entrepreneurship. BKFK promotes youth social innovation and
partners with leading corporations to inspire product development, crucial
technology skills, invention, and innovation in young people from 8 to 22. BKFK
provides a unique platform for young people to develop, showcase, and
commercialize their products, inventions and entrepreneurship. BKFK’s ‘cycle of
innovation’ develops critical 21st century skills in our nation’s youth. The
company provides educational resources- curriculum and challenges that promote
social change, product development and entrepreneurial endeavors. Learn more:
www.bkfk.com
About United Inventors Association
The United Inventors Association is the world's leading center for
inventor/entrepreneur education. Founded in 1990 and based in upstate NY, the
UIA was established as an umbrella association supporting and networking local
and regional inventor organizations. UIA membership now has expanded throughout
the USA and abroad to include individual inventors and innovators, academia,
small and medium enterprise, service providers and non-profit companies. For
more information about UIA, please visit its website at
www.uiausa.org
BKFK
John Forrester
(323) 702-3684
media(at)bkfk(dot)com
NYSE FOUNDATION
Margarida Correia
(212) 656-5992
mcorreia(at)nyx(dot)com
K12 Inc.
Jeff Kwitowski
703.483.7281
jkwitowski(at)K12(dot)com |