Rachel, Idea - Retro Modern From Lake Forest, CA, 17-year-old Rachel believes the fashion industry’s future lies in its past! Her designs are inspired from the past but are smartly adjusted to fit into current fashion trends. Intrigued by the idea of clashing patterns, she blends vintage patterns and modern designs for a collection she thinks is bound to turn heads. Rachel is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2008 Signature Style Challenge; her prize - a whopping 10,000 and a trip to the Tommy Hilfiger Studios.
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	Anuradha, Idea - All Dolled Up From New York, 16-year-old Anuradha, landed in the top five with her “All Dolled Up” design. Her design- a short-sleeved ribbed fuchsia sweater, a bright blue skirt with big yellow buttons, and a colorful tulle underneath comprise the look, which is pulled together with a yellow headband. The outfit is simple and well-fitted, and the unique cut and color scheme, complemented by layers of tulle underneath the skirt, give the outfit a feminine touch and add style. Anuradha designs for young women who want to have fun with their look and are confident enough to take chances trying new things.
	Elizabeth, Idea - Crane Purse From Keswick, VA, 12-year-old Elizabeth was folding  paper into origami  paper cranes, when she got the idea of fashioning a purse in the shape of the graceful paper bird she’d just made. She used fabric stiffener to harden the cloth, and added pockets and straps to make her purse a fully-functioning handbag. Undeniable in uniqueness and style, anyone, ranging from kids to adults, can complement their look with it. But Elizabeth also hopes that her Crane Purse may perhaps become something more. She hopes that the crane, being an international symbol of goodwill, may inspire the owners of this fashionable item to show their support for world peace. Elizabeth also won third place for her design in the 2008 BKFK Virginia Challenge.
	Noelle, Idea - Afrikana From Haddonfield, NJ, 17-year-old Noelle strives to create pieces that people would want to wear. Though her aim was to create utterly comfortable clothing, she was also insistent on designing pieces that are fashionable and stylish. Delving into the rich African traditions, Noelle incorporated traditional African patterns, animal prints and bold colors, for a potent mix of elements that pleases even the most discerning tastes.  Noelle also earned first place in the 2008 BKFK New Jersey Competition with her “Afrikana” fashion collection.
	Russell, Idea - Autograph Jeans The innovator behind “Autograph Jeans” is the 14-year-old Russell from Trumbull, CT. Knowing that most fans like to get signed autographs following a show, the home-schooled student thought, “Why not wear special jeans to a special event?” Furthering this concept, Russell wanted to offer customizable jeans to anyone interested in making a statement by showing off their own creativity and that of their friends. The result is a pair of jeans that have two strips of white fabric going down either leg on the outseam for people to write and draw on.

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	Douglas, Idea - Roller Boggin Not falling off a skateboard can be tricky, so the 15-year-old Douglas of Waukegan, IL, wanted kids to enjoy skateboarding in a way that was just as fun, but safer and easier to master. Douglas combined his snow sled and skateboard to create a sitting or kneeling version of a skateboard. He started out with a regular board and with some heavy modifications he successfully created a new product that has all of his friends lining up to try their hand at tearing up the ramps! Douglas’ “RollerBoggin” has earned him the title of the Sports Evolution Grand Prize Winner of 2008. He won $10,000 and a 'meet n greet' with an ESPN broadcaster.
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	Sara, Idea - Volley Pass Back Playing on her Volleyball team and wanting to squeeze in additional practice time at home, 13-year-old Sara ran into a bit of a hurdle by not having anyone else to practice with.  This is precisely where she saw an opportunity and sought a new way of practicing at home, without the need for a partner. She came up with the idea of " Volleyball Pass Back" - a backboard that is complementary to the Volleyball net, which is made up of different materials that bounce the ball back at different angles every time, really honing the player’s reflexes. Sara also took the first place distinction in the BKFK New York Competition.
	Martin, Idea - Bat Gripper Having attended many of his sister’s softball games, 11-year-old Martin  noticed the coach frequently having to interrupt the flow of the game to walk over and help the batter adjust his or her batting grip. Martin was struck by the thought that there had to be an easier way to help kids learn proper hand placement. The “Bat Gripper” is a piece of thin, rubbery material formed in the shape of two hands.  These "hands" wrap around any bat or club to show proper hand placement, leaving the coach or teacher more time to focus on other aspects of the game. Martin also earned first place in the BKFK Pennsylvania Competition.
	Hayes, Idea - Badminton Billiards Calling Trumbull, CT home, the 11-year-old Hayes came up with the idea of “Badminton Billiards”. A brand new take on a classic game, Hayes was convinced that badminton could benefit from an update. Thinking it would be more fun if there were no nets and no out-of-bound zones, he reinvented the game. Similar to golf, the player scores by getting the shuttlecock into one of several pockets set up around the course. Due to its ease and the high fun factor, the game has become a regular pastime at his household.
	Ethan, Idea - Windshield Wiper Goalie The 6-year-old Ethan, entered the competition with “Windshield Wiper Goalie” - a windshield wiper mechanism that waves suspended foam rectangles in front of a hockey or soccer goal. Sweeping the competition, this clever invention can be easily fastened onto any goal with Velcro; the foam rectangles also come in various sizes to suit different-sized goals. By making shooting more challenging, this product can aid teams and individuals alike in improving their shooting precision.

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	Elizabeth, Idea - Water Watcher 12-year-old Elizabeth  from Keswick, VA, earned the title of the Going Green Grand Prize Winner of 2008, winning with her “Water Watcher”. Realizing just how much water it took to take a shower, Elizabeth began seeking a way to make everyone more aware of their water usage. After learning that reducing her shower time only by one minute would save 1,000 gallons of water per year, she was driven to find a smarter way of utilizing this valuable resource. Elizabeth created “The Water Watcher”, a device that can be fastened to any faucet. It signals a red light and sounds a beep every time a half-gallon of water is used. Elizabeth hopes this will keep everyone more conscientious in just how much water they use up in their everyday life.
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	Edward, Idea - Acid Rain Cloud Seeding Edward, a 12-year-old was awarded the first place distinction in his state for his “Acid Rain Cloud Seeding” proposal. Studying science in school, Edward learned about the environment and global ecosystems. The topic of acid rain in particular inspired him to take action to help alleviate a very global concern. Since cloud seeding is being used worldwide to induce rainfall, why not use it to also positively influence the water’s pH factor? He concluded that by using an appropriate base as a cloud seed chemical, the acid in the clouds could be neutralized and the destructive effects of acid rain could be significantly reduced.
	John, Idea - Recycle Frog The 11-year-old John believes that kids should learn how to recycle. The best place to start? School, of course! Since recycling in school cafeteria wasn’t too popular among kids, John thought that designing fun and user-friendly recycling containers would interest kids enough to change their mind. Thus, the “Recycle Frog” was born. A large plastic recycling bin shaped like a frog, it can be programmed to speak to the kids and has a conveyor belt-like tongue so anyone can get a kick out of feeding the hungry critter. Additionally, different-colored frogs could be set up to accept a variety of recyclables. That’s less waste going to landfills and more habitable room left for all types of animals.
	Hayes, Idea - Take The Bus! Reward Tokens Witnessing firsthand how little the number of kids taking the school bus was in his native Trumbull, CT, the 11-year-old Hayes became interested in energy conservation and specifically, in making the school busses run more efficiently. He realized that opting for the bus ride instead of making the parents drive would be feasible if it were more fun and if it gave the kids something in return. Since collecting all sorts of things is one of the kids’ favorite pastimes, Hayes reasoned they could collect points every time they took the bus, which could later be redeemed for prizes, free lunch or even a party. He hopes his “Take The Bus! Reward Tokens” will not only save gas, but contribute to encouraging a young generation to put Earth first.
	Martin, Idea - Trash Duo Another avid fan of recycling, 11-year-old Martin, a Dresher, PA resident, actually tackles two problems with a single innovation. The first problem concerns the vast amount of waste generated by the one-time-use nature of plastic bags. The second problem is people’s lack of drive or ability to recycle while on the go or away from home. Doing his part in creating a viable solution, Martin dreamt up “Trash Duo”. It is a portable, reusable, washable bag that has two, built-in compartments: one for trash and one for recyclables. Now, whether running errands in the car or enjoying a picnic in the park, anyone can bring the recyclables home or to a recycling station, rather than contributing to needless wastefulness.

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	Alyssa, Idea - The Guardians Alyssa, a 15-year-old from Irvine, CA, depicts a new kind of hero in the “The Guardians”. Uncovering the challenging nature of the color guard, where dancers spin, toss and catch flags, rifles or sabers, Alyssa has conceived an edge-of-your-seat graphic novel that stars five heroines. Naturally, the girls dance on their high school’s “sport of the arts” color guard squad, but their real job is to protect the President of the United States. Lacking superpowers, they instead rely on brains, personality, confidence, and hard work to become better teammates. Using wit and humor, Alyssa created genuine role models for “normal girls” to encourage them to get involved in something they love and to work hard on attaining it.
	Eric, Idea - Rover Robotics From Merrick, NY, 16-year-old Eric finds himself in the top five with “Rover Robotics”. Taking inspiration from the iconic Mickey Mouse, Sonic the Hedgehog and his dog, he aims to demonstrate that cartoons can be deep and interesting, while still being very funny. Eric has based the vibrant and often comical main character on himself and he offers up parallels to reality where the livelihood of a small, close-knit community begins to be affected by a large corporation, whose interests are at odds with the town’s residents. Created using multiple styles of animation, this series is aimed at Tweens and Teens.
	John, Idea - Funny Fred 11-year-old John rounds out the top five with “Funny Fred”. Aspiring to create something funny that kids could easily relate to, John found his forte in the medium of cartoons. Basing his hero’s adventures on his own, and further taking his cues not from one, but two mischievous younger brothers, John brings an undoubtedly colorful character to life. Whether at school, working an after-school job as a newspaper boy, or playing outdoors, Fred seems to make mistakes and unwittingly get himself into all sorts of silly situations. The timeless appeal of a hapless hero can unquestionably entertain both young and old, and John hopes that kids can learn with Fred and have a good time doing so.
	Russell, Idea - Website-based Character 14-year-old Russell enters the competition with his “Website-based Character” graphic novel. Intrigued by the fictional Sherlock Holmes and the very real presence of his Baker St. residence in London, Russell wanted to bridge the gap between realities of the reader and the novel’s hero. Aimed at someone who would enjoy really connecting to the character and directly interacting with the story, Russell seamlessly brings together both the print and the online worlds. At any point in the story, through a special website, the reader can direct the character, share opinions with a community of users via podcasts, and even send an email to the character to gain clues or learn about upcoming adventures.
	Scott, Idea - Kids’ Kards for the Environment 16-year-old Scott entered the Digital Arts Challenge with his “Kids’ Kards for the Environment”. Thinking that the short lifespan of the average greeting card unnecessarily wastes our resources, he came up with the concept of reusing stuffs that normally get discarded as raw material for his greeting cards. Scott thought it would be really great if people had a way to release their innate creativity for others’ benefit. And not only did he conceive a wonderful outlet for the imagination, but intends for the sales proceeds to assist people in real need.

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