Local Toymaker JAKKS Pacific Supports Young Inventors Through “Invention Dimension” National Competition
11-Year-Old Winner to “Pitch” Winning Idea to JAKKS Executives
WHAT: Malibu-based leading U.S. toymaker, JAKKS Pacific, encourages young inventors with bright ideas to make their stamp on the toy industry. As a co-sponsor of the By Kids For Kids “Invention Dimension” National Competition, JAKKS will meet with the 11 year-old Grand Prize winner, Brian Sumereau, who will present his highly original new game, ‘The Puzzler,’ to JAKKS Pacific executives. As the winning invention, ‘The Puzzler’ masterfully combines logic puzzles with board games.
The By Kids for Kids (BKFK) “Invention Dimension” competition ran from October 1, 2009 to January 29, 2010, and sought to unleash new ideas in toys, games and sporting goods. Young Mr. Sumereau of River Vale, New Jersey, beat out thousands of other contestants for the National Grand Prize, which included a trip to JAKKS Pacific headquarters in Southern California for an opportunity to pitch his game to JAKKS’ product team.
WHO: A panel of executives from JAKKS Pacific, Inc., leading local toy company
Brian Sumereau, 11-year-old “Invention Dimension” Grand Prize Winner
By Kids For Kids
WHEN: Friday, July 23, 2010; 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: JAKKS Pacific West Coast Showroom
2700 Pennsylvania Ave., Ste 1200
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Exceptional Winner: Brian Sumereau
Though just 11-years-old, Brian has already received recognition for his science fair exhibit, skillful handwriting, and poetry. He is a member of his school’s band, Scrabble and Math clubs, and the Supplemental and Gifted Education program.
His winning idea indirectly came about when Brian first learned the game of Sudoku from his dad. He quickly became hooked on the challenging game and a further appreciation for puzzles and logic games naturally followed. “So, one day, I was sitting around my grandma’s beach house, bored. I decided to make my own board game from my love for puzzles. I was thinking, how can I combine the two?” says Brian. “The Puzzler” was thus born.
If he could spend a day with anyone, it would be Albert Einstein. Brian also gets inspired by Thomas Edison and his own parents for being so supportive. In the future, he wants to focus on engineering stemming from his love of building complex structures: “I want to build a crazy rollercoaster, but I’ll probably not go on it!” The budding engineer in him loves K’nex, which he first got as a Christmas gift when he was seven: “With K’nex, you can let your imagination soar. You can make anything!” Someday, he’d like to build carnival rides that no one has ever seen before. But for the next five years, his plans also include starting a PowerPoint club and an Entrepreneur club at his school.
About JAKKS Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) is a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a wide range of products that feature some of the most popular brands and children's toy licenses in the world. JAKKS’ diverse portfolio includes Action Figures, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, Halloween Costumes, Kids Furniture, Vehicles, Plush, Art Activity Kits, Seasonal Products, Infant/Pre-School, Construction Toys and Pet Toys sold under various proprietary brands including JAKKS Pacific®, Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®, Funnoodle®, JAKKS Pets™, Plug It In & Play TV Games™, Girl Gourmet™, Kids Only!™, Tollytots® and Disguise™. JAKKS is an award-winning licensee of several hundred nationally and internationally known trademarks including Disney®, Nickelodeon®, Warner Bros.®, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Hello Kitty®, Graco® and Cabbage Patch Kids®. www.jakks.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
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