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BKFK Announces Online Voting in the National CosmoGIRL! Mind Your Own
Business Challenge with $10,000 Grand Prize
Online Voting Now LIVE for the Mind Your Own Business Challenge Finalists
Stamford, CT (October 10, 2008) – By Kids For Kids (BKFK), the youth creativity
specialist, is pleased to announce the top five finalists of the national
CosmoGIRL! Mind Your Own Business Challenge, “CG! MYOB Challenge,” an exciting
contest designed to discover America’s hottest new entrepreneurial concept
created by a girl. The Grand Prize Winner, who will be one of the finalists
mentioned below, will receive $10,000 in seed money from BKFK to get her idea
off the ground, as well as media attention and entrepreneurial support along her
path to success. Online voting for the CG! MYOB Challenge activates today and
will run through Friday, October 24th at 12pm EST. Cast all online votes at:
www.bkfk.com
From Laurel, MD, 13-year-old Johnna Moore made it to the final round with
her new online magazine idea, MoGurl. Johnna describes her ideas as follows:
“MoGURL is an alternative online magazine for teenage girls. While most
magazines targeting teenage girls center around celebrities and the latest
fashions, MoGURL will guide young women to be the celebrity of their life and to
create the latest fads for themselves. It aims to globally unite girls and open
their eyes to several aspects of the world. Not many magazines support girls
whose ideas go deeper and wider than a celebrity's wardrobe; MoGURL is filling
the gap. Teenage girls are often downplayed into believing that it is normal or
even required that they should only think about getting a boyfriend, being
popular, being beautiful, and having the right clothes. Girls should be immersed
into a world where they realize there is far more to life.”
From Boca Raton, FL, 22 year old Tracy Kimball broke into the top 5 with her
social entrepreneurship concept Free to Learn. Tracy describes her idea as
follows: “I interned at a low-income school and saw the need for female
empowerment. All disadvantaged students are desperate for great opportunities
but this is even more crucial for women. I envision a non-profit,
career-oriented leadership program for disadvantaged female high school students
that would be sponsored by Fortune 500 companies. These girls would attend a
week of free leadership seminars that take place in central locations across the
US. After the week of training, they would be placed in the company of their
choice for a two-week internship. This business will be supported primarily
through sponsorship from the participating Fortune 500 companies.
From Wayland, NY, 15-year-old Veronica Gauer made the cut for her web savvy
Suite Dreams Designs innovation. Veronica describes her idea as follows: “Suite
Dream Designs is a 3-D virtual design website where teens become their own
bedroom designer by using real products sold by various affiliated companies.
Users can compare and utilize everything from the furniture to the throw pillows
without needing to purchase their own design software. The website will let you
design your room exactly how you want it by clicking and dragging products on to
the design board, and you can use those products and create a virtual room that
looks the way you want your room to look. You will have the option to purchase
every item used in the design.”
From McLean, VA, 15-year-old Johannah Gehman enters the final round with her new
take on the personal stylist, called My Stylist. Johannah describes her idea in
her own words: “Have you ever struggled with your outfit, hair style, or
make-up? Don't you wish you had your own personal stylist whom you could ask
questions like: Which heels look right with this dress? What hair style would
complement my face shape? Which color of eye shadow would make my eyes pop? If
you have ever asked a family member, friend, or an advice columnist for a second
opinion on your clothes, hair, or make-up, there is a new and better way to get
professional advice! My business, "My Stylist", is an online style advice
service that will be mostly used by men and women ages thirteen to fifty years
old. If you have an urgent fashion or style question, you can easily log into
the "My Stylist" website to seek advice.”
From Brooklyn, NY, 19-year-old Maya Gilbert enters the final round with her
experiential new website concept, SupriseIndustries.com. Here’s how Maya
envisions her concept, “Surprise Industries (SurpriseIndustries.com) is a
web-based business with the mission of offering surprise experiences. Customers
enter their zip codes, age, ability, and the distance they are willing to travel
and pay $20 to receive a randomly chosen experience in their area. The
experience could be anything from a class in glassblowing to an engaging and
challenging charity event such as repainting an elementary school. There will be
no way for the customers to guess what their experience will be and whether it
will be worth $5 or $100, but in any case, they will discover new places,
people, activities, and maybe even a new life passion.”
CosmoGirl! Magazine is the title sponsor of the competition.
Piczo.com, the world's
leading online teen community, is the Presenting Sponsor and The BizWorld
Foundation and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County are the Educational
Partners of this competition.
“The global financial crisis dramatically reminds us of the huge need for new
innovation and business ideas. We congratulate these very talented young women
for their outstanding entrepreneurial concepts put forth in the CG! MYOB
Challenge!” said Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of BKFK, “We encourage
local media in the communities where these talented young women reside to help
us get out the vote and support the finalist from your hometown!”
About By Kids For Kids Co.
By Kids for Kids® (BKFK®) is a youth marketing and media company partnering with
the world’s leading corporations to provide a platform to foster, share,
showcase, and commercialize youth innovation and entrepreneurship. Their mission
is to inspire, motivate and stimulate the innovative spirit within all young
people.
The closely held Stamford, CT-based Corporation has been dedicated to making
youth ideas a reality since 2003. Through its website (www.bkfk.com)
and its social community (Idea Locker™), online competitions, TV show (Think
Big™), Magazine (Possible™), press, and education outreach, the company engages
youth in the US and around the world. BKFK® youth-created products are available
nationally and serve as a testament to the power of youth innovation and social
entrepreneurship.
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Media Contact:
John Forrester | (323) 702-3684 |
media@bkfk.com
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