By Kids For Kids Announces ‘INVENTION DIMENSION’ with Special Prizing for Virginia Residents
Virginia’s youth set to invent next toy craze
By Kids For Kids Announces ‘INVENTION DIMENSION’ with Special Prizing for
Virginia Residents
Virginia’s youth set to invent next toy craze
Stamford, CT – October 1, 2009—Did you know JENGA® was invented by a 17-year-old
British girl? Or that the trampoline was invented by a teenager? Young people
have been responsible for some of the most astonishingly successful and useful
inventions. To unleash innovative ideas for new toys, games and sporting goods,
By Kids for Kids (BKFK), in collaboration with sponsors Toys“R”Us, The World’s
Greatest Toy Store®, and leading U.S. toymaker JAKKS Pacific, as well as
presenting sponsor Edison Ventures, today announced ‘INVENTION DIMENSION,’ a new
competition that honors this rich history of inventiveness in young people.
Open to all Virginia youth ages of 6 through 19, young inventors are encouraged
to submit their own concepts for future toys, indoor and outdoor games, board
games and sporting equipment. One winner from the State of Virginia will receive
a JAKKS Pacific Prize Pack valued at $500 and will have the opportunity to name
a teacher or mentor who inspired or supported their inventing process, who will
receive $200 worth of JAKKS Pacific classroom supplies.
Additionally, the Virginia winner will automatically be entered in the National
version of ‘Invention Dimension.’ The National Grand Prize winner will receive a
JAKKS Pacific Prize Pack valued at $1,000 and a trip to JAKKS Pacific
headquarters in Malibu, California for an opportunity to pitch his/her invention
to JAKKS’ development team. Further, a special celebration event will be held at
the Toys“R”Us international flagship store in Times Square, Virginia City where
a $1,000 gift card for a toy lover’s shopping spree will be awarded to the
winner.
No purchase is necessary and all entries must be received online at
www.bkfk.com/inventiondimension/states beginning October 1, 2009, noon EST
through January 29, 2010, noon EST. More than one toy concept can be submitted
and up to three media uploads are allowed in support of each. Additionally,
entrants must answer seven questions about the invention through the online
entry form to make the entry official.
Four criteria will be used to evaluate each entry and choose the top five
finalists - 1.) Originality of concept, 2.) Development and description of idea
3) Marketability and 4.) Potential for commercialization. Expert judges from the
Toy Industry, combined with the results of an online vote that will give friends
and family an opportunity to support their favorites, will determine one Grand
Prize winner.
To spark creativity and inventive thinking, special educational materials have
been custom-created for Virginia’s teachers in support of ‘Invention Dimension’
and are available free for download at
www.bkfk.com/teachers
“We are excited to sponsor the Virginia version of ‘Invention Dimension’
challenge and to encourage young people to be innovative and to push the
boundaries of their imagination,” said Stephen Berman, President and Co-CEO,
JAKKS Pacific. “We are looking forward to bright ideas and discovering the young
toymakers of tomorrow.”
Norman Goldstein, the founder and CEO of By Kids for Kids, said: “We are
thrilled to launch a special version ‘Invention Dimension’ just for youth in the
state of Virginia! We feel extremely confident that all Virginia kids who
participate in ‘Invention Dimension’ will benefit through the process of
unleashing their creativity.”
Official rules for the ‘Invention Dimension’ challenge are available at
www.bkfk.com
Notes to Editors
Click here to see past Virginia winners:
http://www.bkfk.com/va
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 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 children's toy licenses in the world. JAKKS’ diverse portfolio
includes Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments,
Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles,
Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role
Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories, sold under various proprietary brands
including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs
International™, Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a
Kite®, Color Workshop®, JAKKS Pets®, EyeClops®, 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.®, World Wrestling Entertainment®,
Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Graco® and Cabbage Patch Kids. JAKKS and THQ
Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and
market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit
www.jakks.com.
# # #
Press contacts:
BKFK
John Forrester
(323) 702-3684
media@bkfk.com
JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Anne-Marie Feliciano
(310) 455-6245
anne-marief@jakks.net