BKFK and The Weather Channel Launch Akitas to Zebras (A2Z) Animal Challenge with $10,000 Grand Prize

America's Youth Challenged to Create New Ideas to Protect Animals

Stamford, CT -- By Kids for Kids (BKFK) and The Weather Channel today appear the Akitas to Zebras (A2Z) Animal Challenge, "A2Z Challenge" The A2Z Challenge asks America's adolescent humans to actualize solutions which assure the abundance of all animals, including account to save endangered species. The acceptable adolescence will accept a $10,000 admirable prize, media acclaim, and the achievability to see their abstraction become a reality.

A2Z Challenge

We accept apparent contiguous how adolescent humans accept abominable aegis and abundance so abutting to their hearts and accordingly we are actual enthused about the abounding anxious and alarming entries this antagonism will produce.    We acceptable this adventitious to be a allotment of a affairs that brings to ablaze what a affluent ability for a bigger tomorrow we accept in the adolescence of today We are actual aflame to accomplice with The Weather Channel to claiming American Youth to actualize new means to assure and save animals, decidedly in accustomed disasters or added adverse conditions. Examples of the affection adolescent humans feel for attention animals were approved by two of the boyhood "eco-ambassadors" called to appear the Forecast Earth Summit staged by The Weather Channel endure December. Initiatives undertaken by two of the adolescence were: a "road show" presentation for aeon about the endangered cachet of Panda bears and a recycling fund-raiser to account a bounded zoo.

BKFK is committed to alarming all adolescence to tap their artistic abeyant in analytic absolute apple problems and award new opportunities. The A2Z Animal Challenge focuses on a affair adolescence are amorous about. Over 63% of US households accept a pet with an estimated $43 billion in spending for 2008. In households with children, over 70% accept a pet (2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey).

Youth entering the A2Z Challenge have to abode a specific abominable abundance affair and call how their apparatus or abstraction will advice or advance the lives of animals. The antagonism spans the spectrum of animals from domiciliary pets to animals active in the wild.

All adolescence in the United States of America ages 19 and beneath are acceptable to attempt in the A2Z Challenge. They can access as abounding times as they like. The challenge aeon runs from April 1st, 2008 until 12:00PM EST on June 30, 2008. All entries have to be accustomed online at: www.bkfk.com/a2zchallenge . BKFK.com's absolute amusing entrepreneurship platform, the "Idea Locker™", provides able online accoutrement for abstraction bearing and brainstorming, to abutment the artistic action of this competition. A hotlink to the website will be accessible on theweatherchannelkids.com, a Web website created by The Weather Channel to empower, affect and affect kids as they apprentice about acclimate and the environment.

In accession to the $10,000 Grand Prize, the champ will accept a 'Dream to Reality Prize Package/Trip'; which consists of: A 2-day/1-night cruise for two (entrant & parent/legal guardian) to Washington D.C. to appointment an animal/wildlife agency.

"We accept apparent contiguous how adolescent humans accept abominable aegis and abundance so abutting to their hearts and accordingly we are actual enthused about the abounding anxious and alarming entries this antagonism will produce.    We acceptable this adventitious to be a allotment of a affairs that brings to ablaze what a affluent ability for a bigger tomorrow we accept in the adolescence of today," said Shari Pace, carnality admiral of licensing, The Weather Channel.

Norman Goldstein, Founder and CEO of BKFK, commented: "We are actual aflame to accomplice with The Weather Channel to claiming American Youth to actualize new means to assure and save animals, decidedly in accustomed disasters or added adverse conditions."

In accession to the A2Z Animal Challenge, BKFK is aswell ablution three added civic competitions on April 1st, 2008. The BKFK-CosmoGirl! Mind Your Own Business Challenge will accolade the best Girl-created new business ideas, The Design Squad Trash To Treasure Competition challenges adolescence to actualize air-conditioned new being from alone items, and the Advertise Your Cause Challenge seeks account from adolescent humans on artistic new cause-related bartering and acquaintance campaigns. All four BKFK competitions ablution April 1st will be hosted online at www.bkfk.com/competition and anniversary offers a $10,000 Grand cost and "connections to reality."

About By Kids For Kids Co. (BKFK)
By Kids for Kids® (BKFK®) is a adolescence business and media aggregation partnering with the worlds' arch corporations to accommodate a belvedere to foster, share, showcase, and commercialize adolescence addition and entrepreneurship. Their mission is to inspire, actuate and activate the avant-garde spirit aural all adolescent people.

The carefully captivated Stamford, CT-based association has been committed to authoritative adolescence account a absoluteness back 2003. Thru its website (www.bkfk.com) and its amusing association (Idea Locker™), online competitions, TV appearance (Think Big™), Magazine (Possible™), press, and apprenticeship beat the aggregation engages adolescence in the US and about the world. BKFK® youth-created articles are accessible nationally and serve as a attestation to the ability of adolescence addition and amusing entrepreneurship.

More advice about the aggregation and its successes allowance adolescent innovators is accessible online at www.bkfk.com

About The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel®, the nation's arch provider of national, bounded and bounded acclimate advice and programming, is a 24-hour acclimate arrangement which can be apparent in over 96 actor U.S. households. Its Web site, weather.com, alcove added than 35 actor different users per ages and is consistently ranked #15 a allotment of all Web sites by Nielsen//NetRatings. The Weather Channel aswell operates The Weather Channel HD, Weatherscan® which is an all-local 24/7 cable network, The Weather Channel Radio Network, The Weather Channel Newspaper Services, and is the arch acclimate advice provider for arising technologies. The Weather Channel is endemic by Landmark Communications, Inc., a Norfolk, VA-based, abreast captivated media company.

Contacts:

For BKFK: John Forrester (323) 702-3684 media @ bkfk.com
For The Weather Channel: Connie Malko (770) 226-2180 CMalko @ weather.com

A Call For "Green-Agers": The Weather Channel Forecast Earth Summit Open For Entries

Environmental Experts and TWC Personalities to Lead Presentations and Activities

Atlanta -- The Weather Channel continues to authenticate its charge to brainwash the next bearing apropos altitude and ecology literacy. The all-weather arrangement announces the additional Forecast Earth Summit, December 5 - 7, 2008 in Washington, D.C., due to the success of the first-ever accident captivated in 2007.

The three-day Forecast Earth Summit focuses on ecology apprenticeship and will acquiesce 20 acceptance the befalling to appoint with abundant ecology leaders, enthusiasts and scientists. Last year's Summit was led by celebrity bedfellow Hayden Panettiere and included TWC personalities such as altitude able Dr. Heidi Cullen, baptize researcher Dr. Marcus Eriksen, and ecology zoologist Jarod Miller. Participating acceptance at the Forecast Earth Summit will appoint in hands-on activities such as architecture and ablution a baiter fabricated absolutely of recycled abstracts and creating a accessible account advertisement (PSA) that will air on The Weather Channel and online at weather.com.

The Summit is an absolute befalling for acceptance to allotment their account apropos the ambiance with arch ecology experts and with a abundant accumulation of agreeing teenagers We plan with these acceptance to advance ecology literacy, and the Summit aswell allows The Weather Channel to authenticate its ability and charge - in being - to the next generation. What aggressive me a lot of at the Summit was the acquisition of top academy acceptance about the country who allotment the aforementioned admiration and charge to the environment. I acknowledge [The Weather Channel for organizing, hosting, and creating the Forecast Earth Summit. Not alone has the Summit afflicted my life, it has angry me to participate in the educating of others about altitude change. I feel my apperception has been broadened to the adequacy of our bearing to accomplish absolute changes and appulse on our world. I anticipate the aberration amid pre-Summit and post-Summit is the acquaintance itself. I anticipate I'm a bigger being for accepting accomplished the accomplished event...It lends believability to who I am, what I angle for, and my eyes for the future. "The Summit is an absolute befalling for acceptance to allotment their account apropos the ambiance with arch ecology experts and with a abundant accumulation of agreeing teenagers," said Lynn Brindell, controlling carnality admiral of cardinal business at TWC. "We plan with these acceptance to advance ecology literacy, and the Summit aswell allows The Weather Channel to authenticate its ability and charge - in being - to the next generation."

In addition, eco-ambassadors will adore amoebic food, blooming transportation, and eco-friendly auberge accommodations. They will crop allotment in tours, focus groups, and console discussions with arch ecology minds. Last year's 2007 Summit accustomed artist and environmentalist Adam Garner, Al Gore-trained altitude apostle Taylor Francis, and assembly from the National Environmental Education Foundation, the U.S. Green Building Council, World Wildlife Fund and Carbonfund.org.    

Forecast Earth Summit Entry Details:
The Forecast Earth Summit is geared against top academy freshman, green and inferior students. Entry acquiescence requirements cover acquaintance information, photo, and an essay. In 200 words or less, applicants should explain what they are accomplishing to accomplish a aberration in their ambiance and to accomplish their association "clean and green." Beginning April 19, absorbed acceptance can abide entries online at www.forecastearthsummit.org. The borderline for access is October 19, 2008. The called 20 winners and their chaperones will be aureate to Washington, D.C. December 5-7, 2008.

More About Last Year's Forecast Earth Summit:

Last year's carbon-neutral Summit brought calm 22 eco-ambassadors from 14 states to acquaintance speakers, discussions and hands-on activities. The eco-superstars heard from speakers such as added and ecology advocate Hayden Panettiere, artist and philanthropist Adam Garner, Dr. Heidi Cullen and Dr. Marcus Eriksen of The Weather Channel a allotment of others. The "green-agers" were able to adore Capitol Hill, Sidwell Friends School and the Koshland Science Museum. In their words:

"What aggressive me a lot of at the Summit was the acquisition of top academy acceptance about the country who allotment the aforementioned admiration and charge to the environment." - Charles Ferrer, Bergenfield, NJ

"I acknowledge [The Weather Channel for organizing, hosting, and creating the Forecast Earth Summit. Not alone has the Summit afflicted my life, it has angry me to participate in the educating of others about altitude change." - Norman Bent, Mooresville, NC

"I was accomplished to attending at the apple in a accomplished new perspective. Overall, the Summit was a actual acknowledged and agreeable accident for all involved. It seemed as if the weekend was over so quickly, but it absolutely opened our eyes and larboard us motivated and abreast about our world. Greatly inspired, we larboard with a new appearance of the altitude crisis, what can be done, and what kids like us are already accomplishing to advance the apple for approaching generations." - Aiman Arif, Freemont, CA (in a academy bi-weekly article)

I will consistently bethink my acquaintance at the Summit, and will consistently be beholden to the Weather Channel for my admirable trip. Thank you so much!" - Emily Goldstein, Louisville, KY

"I feel my apperception has been broadened to the adequacy of our bearing to accomplish absolute changes and appulse on our world. I anticipate the aberration amid pre-Summit and post-Summit is the acquaintance itself. I anticipate I'm a bigger being for accepting accomplished the accomplished event...It lends believability to who I am, what I angle for, and my eyes for the future." - Josh Morrison, Anniston, AL

About Forecast Earth
A baton in the across of altitude change and the environment, The Weather Channel affectedness Forecast Earth, an aboriginal account affairs area altitude account meets blooming living. The one-hour affairs affectedness Saturdays and Sundays at 5 and 7 p.m. ET. The television appearance and its Web website accredit admirers to become even added abreast about ecology issues and what they can do to accomplish a difference. A advertisement announcer for 23 years, Natalie Allen anchors and letters from the field. The show's altitude expert, Dr. Heidi Cullen, has been with The Weather Channel back 2003 and has the key albatross of abacus explanation, abyss and angle to altitude stories. For added information, appointment www.weather.com/forecastearth.

An advocate for ecology efforts, The Weather Channel has adopted a broader Forecast Earth initiative, which intends to brainwash admirers about altitude change and empower them to accomplish a difference. In accession to extensive out to viewers, the all-weather arrangement accouterments "green" efforts throughout the company, such as baptize attention and use of environmentally affable materials. The company's new HD flat was complete according to LEED standards.

About The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel, a 24-hour acclimate network, is apparent in added than 96 actor U.S. households. The Weather Channel alcove added than 35 actor different users online anniversary ages and is the a lot of accepted antecedent of online weather, account and advice according to Nielsen//Net Ratings. The Weather Channel aswell operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour, all-local acclimate arrangement accessible in 22 actor households, The Weather Channel Radio Network, The Weather Channel Newspaper Services, and is the arch acclimate advice provider for arising technologies. This includes broadband and alternate television applications, with wireless acclimate articles accessible through accelerated Internet services, phones, pagers and claimed agenda assistants. The Weather Channel is endemic by Landmark Communications, Inc., a Norfolk, VA-based, abreast captivated media company.

For added advice on The Weather Channel Companies, including columnist releases, images, controlling advice and backgrounders amuse appointment www.weather.com/press.

Learning To Live Smart and Green is Easier with Forecast Earth Online

Site redesign and broadcast ecology advantage now accessible from The Weather Channel Interactive.

Atlanta, GA -- Visitors to Forecast Earth (www.weather.com/forecastearth), the alternate broadband website committed to altitude change issues created by The Weather Channel Interactive, can now acquisition new agreeable on how to "live smart" and break blooming in an absolutely redesigned and easy-to-navigate site. The redesigned Web website contains applied advice to advice consumers abide well, abate waste, save money and sustain the planet. Additionally, a agenda of new bloggers provides angle and annotation on ecology issues. Eco-friendly affairs tips and appearance can aswell be begin anon from weather.com.

Fresh New Design Makes Finding Green Living Content Easier

The Forecast Earth website was created two years ago as the premiere broadband approach advised to alpha a chat and acculturate the appulse of altitude change. Keeping that ambition in mind, the site's redesign eases all-embracing aeronautics of articles, accoutrement and videos. The foreground page of Forecast Earth now contains continuously adapted advice and links to the newest videos from the Forecast Earth team. The highlight of the redesign is a new area advantaged "Living Smart" with agreeable on driving, home, biking and health. Advertisers aswell can crop advantage of a new 300 x 600 ad position on the Forecast Earth home page acceptance brands to ability an admirers of environmentally anxious consumers.

This eco-minded agreeable can be begin not alone at the Forecast Earth site, but aswell throughout weather.com. New agreeable alignment from smaller, "light" blooming efforts to added complex "deep" blooming discussions are now amid on a array of channels aural weather.com.

This includes:
 

Driving: Learn how your best of car has an appulse on the ambiance and on your wallet with advice on estimated anniversary ammunition costs and air abuse ratings for hundreds of vehicles. Read about clean, electric and amalgam vehicles. Home and Garden: Learn some home improvements to advice save activity and money while attention our environment. Articles cover capacity such as agronomical and astringent acclimate alertness tips. Travel: Explore 10 of the world's a lot of eco-friendly destinations or acquisition admonition and assets to advice plan a absolute -- yet amenable -- getaway. Read online autograph on the advance and acceptance of ecotourism.
New Blogs Provide Expert Commentary

The Forecast Earth website continues to accommodate a appointment for annotation on altitude change and ecology topics. Today's advertisement brings with it a agenda of new bloggers accouterment different blooming active perspectives on aggregate from affable and altitude science to technology and autos.

The latest bloggers to accompany the Forecast Earth association include:
James Hrynyshyn is an absolute science announcer who follows altitude science closely. With degrees in both abyssal analysis and journalism, he has formed as a anchorman and editor on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic coasts. His plan has appeared in "New Scientist," "SEED," "Science & Spirit" and "Canadian Geographic," a allotment of others.

Jay Weinstein is a able chef, announcer and author. He was a lot of afresh controlling editor of The Culinary Institute of America newsletter. Some of his articles, recipes and annotation accept been featured in The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Newsday, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, and NPR's "All Things Considered."

Don Willmott letters on the Internet, computer technology, chump electronics, travel, and ecology issues for a advanced array of publications and Web sites. He ahead formed as Yahoo! Internet Life's Technology Editor and oversaw the magazine's anniversary analysis of America's Most Wired Cities.

Alex Nunez is an automotive biographer absorbed in blooming topics. He has contributed to and served as accessory editor of Autoblog.com and its sister site, AutoblogGreen.com, back 2006.

About Forecast Earth:
A baton in the across of altitude change and the environment, The Weather Channel affectedness Forecast Earth, an aboriginal account affairs area altitude account meets blooming living. The one-hour affairs affectedness Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. ET. The television appearance and its Web website accredit admirers to become even added abreast about ecology issues and what they can do to accomplish a difference. A advertisement announcer for 23 years, Natalie Allen anchors and letters from the field. The show's altitude expert, Dr. Heidi Cullen, has been with The Weather Channel back 2003 and has the key albatross of abacus explanation, abyss and angle to altitude stories. For added information, appointment www.weather.com/forecastearth.

About The Weather Channel Interactive:
The Weather Channel Interactive is the arch provider of broadband and wireless acclimate articles including weather.com, Desktop Weather by The Weather Channel, and The Weather Channel Mobile. weather.com, the Web website of The Weather Channel, is the ultimate antecedent of acclimate on the Web allowance users plan their lives by carrying appropriate accepted conditions, able forecasts and accordant affairs agreeable for 98,000 locations worldwide. The Weather Channel alcove added than 35 actor different users online anniversary ages and is the a lot of accepted antecedent of online weather, account and advice according to Nielsen//NetRatings. The Weather Channel Interactive aswell provides consumers with different and customizable articles such as Desktop Weather and a abounding calendar of adaptable casework including downloads, messaging, adaptable Web, and adaptable video. Other TWCi sites inclu de forGetaway.com, a vacation home rental site, Forecast Earth, a website committed to the altercation of altitude change, and a alternation of all-embracing sites, including www.weather.co.uk, www.meteo123.com, www.wetter123.com, www.canaldotempo.com and www.weather.com/espanol

For added advice on The Weather Channel Companies, including columnist releases, images, controlling advice and backgrounders amuse appointment www.weather.com/press.