BKFK Challenges America’s Teens to Create New Ideas in Digital
Storytelling, Fashion, Sports and “Green” Environment
Four creative teens to win $10,000 each and a “Connection to reality”
STAMFORD,
CT - October 2, 2007 - By Kids For Kids (BKFK) today announced the
launch of four concurrent teen innovation contests: The Digital
Storytelling Challenge, The Signature Style Challenge, The Sports
Evolution Challenge and The Going Green Challenge. These competitions
are the just the first round of challenges to be launched on the
company’s newly upgraded teen creativity portal at
www.bkfk.com , powered by the flagship
“Idea Locker™.”
Teens have been responsible for some remarkable creative output and
innovations. Did you know that Jim Shooter was just 13 when he
started selling stories to DC Comics? Did you know that Tommy
Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Jean Paul Gaultier all
achieved success in the fashion industry before the age of 18? Or that
Water-skis, the Frisbee and the Trampoline were all invented by teens?
How about the “green teens” already in action saving our environment?
Smitha Ramakrishna, 15, was one of ten chosen in the nation for the
President’s Environmental Youth Award, given by the EPA. She was
recognized for a special project that helped deliver clean water to the
world. And Victor Nashan, 16, of Tanzania, East Africa, raises
environmental consciousness through using creative methods like songs,
poems, art and games.
These thought-provoking competitions fit into the new BKFK.com’s four
creativity categories - based on interests expressed to BKFK by teen
users. - “Say It”, “Design It”, “Build It” and “Change It.” These
categories provide challenges to teens to connect and express themselves
according to their deepest interests. Grand prize winners will take away
$10,000 per competition as well as a “connection to reality” - a unique
real-world experience provided by industry insiders- a prize that money
can’t buy. All entries must be received no later than December 31st,
2007 - submitted online via the BKFK website at
www.bkfk.com. All youth under the age
of 19 are eligible to participate.
The Digital Arts Challenge, sponsored by The Pearson Foundation’s
(LSE: PSON; NYSE: PSO) Digital Arts Alliance, gives teens the chance to
share ideas using digital video and other forms of digital expression,
and the winning contestant will be hosted for a day by Pearson
publishing businesses in New York City.
The Signature Style Challenge, in partnership with the Tommy
Hilfiger brand, will inspire scores of creative teens to try their hand
at fashion design, and focus a powerful spotlight on emerging design
talent. A day “shadowing” a designer from Tommy Hilfiger in their
Manhattan studios will provide an exclusive entrée into the glamorous
world of fashion.
The Sports Evolution Challenge, in collaboration with the Newell
Rubbermaid company, (NYSE: NWL) will uncover hot new trends in sporting
goods and fitness. The “connection to reality” prize will see the lucky
winner spending an action-packed day with an ESPN anchor covering a live
sporting event!
Finally, The Going Green Challenge, in partnership with The
Weather Channel, seeks inspired new products or services that could help
issues affecting the global environmental crisis, including climate
change, drought and famine. The challenge will empower the Grand Prize
Winner by offering the chance to have their opinions and views heard on
the blog of Leonardo DiCaprio’s “11th Hour Action” website, as well as
the unique opportunity to spend a day with one of the organization’s
environmental experts.
http://www.11thhouraction.com/
The grand prize winners of the first round of BKFK innovation
competitions will be announced at the beginning of April during a live
webcast celebration.
“We are excited to be launching our most challenging, inspiring and
creative competitions ever!” commented Norman Goldstein, Founder and CEO
of BKFK. “From our earliest days, we had a vision that the young people
of America could make the most significant impact if only they had a
platform. To that end, we are proud of the new BKFK Idea Locker™ and
look forward to working closely with America’s teens and industry to
solve problems and create opportunities.”
BKFK plans to launch new rounds of competitions, every quarter
throughout the year, with $160,000 in total prize money given away.
“Keeping teens always excited and engaged in the creative process is our
goal with the new BKFK.com,” added BKFK COO Daniel Gwartz, “The Idea
Locker™ provides a powerful set of online tools to assist teens in all
forms of creative expression from inventing, writing, and design to
environmental concerns. We are giving the teens a voice for their ideas
and helping make them a reality. ”
Further details and inspiration for all competitions are available at:
http://www.bkfk.com/
About “Idea Locker™”
The Idea Locker™, powered by BKFK, is a private online space where teens
can create, develop, store and share their ideas. Ideas about
inventions, sports, the environment, music, fashion or any subject
important to them. Partially adopting the social networking style now
familiar to the target age group, users will be able to add friends,
chat, share ideas and provide ratings and feedback on ideas that others
have decided to share through their “Idea Locker™.”
This secure personal locker can hold as many ideas as the user can dream
up. The Idea Locker TM also includes a mechanism for uploading files
such as text, images, audio and video.
BKFK has refined its process over years of experience to accept ideas
online in a safe and secure manner. The new Idea Locker™ employs a
number of tactics to educate the users about Intellectual Property and
protecting their rights while developing their innovations. Minors who
wish to share their ideas must receive parental approval to do so. The
Idea Locker™ then allows teens to adjust the levels of privacy on ideas
in their locker to private, semi-private or public.
About By Kids For Kids Co.
By Kids For Kids Co., “BKFK” is a closely held corporation based in
Stamford, Conn., is the leading global marketing, branding and licensing
company dedicated to making teens’ ideas a reality. Having produced
numerous successful invention competitions, and giving over $150,000 in
prizes, BKFK is finely attuned to what teens want. Their mission is to
inspire, motivate and stimulate the innovative spirit within all young
people. In addition to providing free support and educational resources
to the world's youth, BKFK provides entrepreneurial experiences for
young inventors and supports the entire ideation through
commercialization process. Learn more:
www.bkfk.com
Interviews with BKFK “Spokesteens” and hi-res images available upon
request
Contact:
John Forrester (323) 702-3684
media@bkfk.com