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Abiline, Texas Youth Advances to Final Round in the National NYSE Financial
Future
Challenge for Kids
Online Voting Now Live for NYSE Financial Future Challenge Finalists.
 New
York, NY (November 12, 2009) – By Kids For Kids (BKFK), the NYSE Foundation and
K12 Inc., with the support of the UIA, announce that the top five finalists in
the NYSE Financial Future Challenge have been selected via a panel of industry
judges. The "Challenge", which ran from June 1, 2009 to September 30, 2009,
asked youth to create a new product, idea or process that will excite, educate
and motivate their peers about investing and the financial marketplace. The
Grand Prize winner will receive $2,500 to jumpstart his or her portfolio, and
will be celebrated during a closing bell ceremony at the New York Stock Exchange
on January 11, 2010. Online voting will be active at:
www.bkfk.com, from November 12, 2009, at 12
p.m. through November 25, 2009, at 12 p.m. EST.
From Abilene, TX, 13-year-old Barrett Lewis enters the top five with the
"Easy Stuff Campaign." The Easy Stuff Campaign and Card Stock Productions
will educate America's youth about investing, shares, the stock market and other
aspects of the economy through a public awareness campaign directed at teens.
The campaign works with several different types of media, including television,
Internet, brochures, billboards, posters, iPhone apps, Facebook ads and Hulu
video bumpers. Stylistically, the campaign employs a simple, hand-drawn
flashcard look designed to appeal to the target youth demographic. "Because the
ads and other campaign elements are specifically designed for teens, it will
make a big impact on their knowledge of the financial world," says Barrett.
"This campaign uses the language, casual style and media forms that today's
youth most often come in contact with." If he were to win this competition,
Barret said he'd invest in Apple, Inc. (AAPL), Abercrombie and Fitch (ANF) and
Google (GOOG).
From Conroe, TX, 12-year-old Fabian Fernandez-Han lands in the top five
with "Oink-a-Saurus," 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. "Many kids spend huge amounts of money on things
they don't need when they should be saving/investing for their future, such as
college," says Fabian. "My idea will allow them to go from buying a favorite
thing to 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." Fabian said if he were to win this contest, he would
buy Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG) and Sapphire Energy, a leader in algae power.
From Chicago, IL, eight-year-old Tyra Smith made it into the final round
with "Stock Pocket", a portable educational game that uses electronic
flashcards to teach players about the stock market. Players select different
user types such as: Company CEO, Shareholder, Investor, Broker, etc. Players
score points by correctly answering questions that pop up on the flashcard
screen, such as: "What is a stock?", "What is a bull market?", or "What is a
bear market?" The game can also be played on a computer. Tyra cites the fact
that Stock Pocket is an interactive game using flashcards as the main selling
point. "Flashcards are a great tool to help people remember things," says Tyra.
"This game will help young people learn and remember facts about the markets.
It's also portable so you can take it on trips." If she wins this competition,
Tyra said she'd invest in Johnson and Johnson (JNJ) and Pepsi (PEP).
From Dorset, VT, 13-year-old Julia Campanella finds herself in the top
five with the "Ticker" game. Ticker is a Web site featuring a virtual
stock simulator for young people to learn about stocks and the stock market.
Players accumulate virtual dollars, which allows them to purchase virtual stocks
or other items for their avatar. All stocks available for "purchase" on Ticker
are all kid-related companies. Ticker is designed to make learning about the
stock market so fun that kids don't even realize they are "learning." Ticker
allows players to plunge into the stock market full throttle, without any fear
of real risks or loss. "Ticker is a different kind of game because it does not
just explain the facts of stocks to kids; it also creates fun and engages
players in games and activities," said Julia. If she were to win this contest,
Julia said she'd invest in K12 Inc. (LRN) and Apple, Inc. (AAPL).
From Mountainville, NY, 12-year-old Kelsey Fosstveit rounds out the top five
entries with her "Stock Market Tycoon Idol," which is a new TV show that
dares financially-savvy kids to become virtual millionaires. Kids across the
nation will watch 10 kids' journey on a dangerous mission to make money or to
lose it. Each kid is selected to participate at try-outs having a basic stock
quiz. Each contestant is granted a virtual $100,000 from which they have to
create a stock portfolio. The kids will play the game at a mock NYSE studio on
Wall Street. They will be mentored and taught the tricks of the trade by
well-known entrepreneurs. "My idea is about an important topic, but it's fun and
without long lectures or advice," says Kelsey. "Kids will watch other kids
openly discussing their finances, while competing against each other with cool
music, cool entrepreneurs and dressed-for-success kid contestants. The players
can't lose because it's virtual, but the winner does ultimately win $100,000."
Kelsey said they if she were to win this NYSE Financial Future Challenge, she
would invest in stocks like Disney (DIS), Hershey (HSY), Six Flags (SIXF) or
McDonald's (MCD).
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 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. More than 69,000 students in
twenty-five states are enrolled in K12 virtual schools. K12 Inc. 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 United Inventors Association
Since 1990, the UIA is dedicated to inventor education and support. As a
national non-profit, we are a registered 501(c)3 funded exclusively with the
generous support of our Members and Donors. Our Mission is provide reliable
information to inventors, as well as Certification to groups and service
providers who comply with rigorous professional and ethical standards. Together,
we can keep inventing safe, rewarding and fun!
www.uiausa.org
# # #
Press contacts:
BKFK
John Forrester
(323) 702-3684
media@bkfk.com
NYSE FOUNDATION
Margarida Correia
(212) 656-5992
mcorreia@nyx.com
K12 Inc.
Jeff Kwitowski
703.483.7281
jkwitowski@k12.com
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