Four Creative Teens to Win $10,000 Each and a ''Connection to Reality''
By Kids For Kids (BKFK) today announced the launch of four concurrent teen innovation contests: The Digital Arts Challenge, The Signature Style Challenge, The Sports Evolution Challenge and The Going Green Challenge. These competitions are 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 LockerTM 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”), 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.