13 year old creates Springbok selection website

PRESS RELEASE:

Rouxve Meyer

When a thirteen year old girl is absolutely mad about rugby, you could be forgiven for not taking her too seriously. She is taken very seriously at home though and her brother has also been able to turn her idea and her dream into a reality. Rather than merely chatting about ideal team selections for the Springbok side, Rouxve Meyer, a Grade 8 learner from Parel Vallei High School in Somerset West, thought it would be fun to see what other people thought about the perfect team too. So she hatched the idea for a website that allows you to do just that.

SA SELECT is a website that enables members to select their own Springbok team; the site then counts the total votes for each position and displays the most popular team, as selected by the fans themselves. Selectors – as registered members are termed – can then discuss or comment on the current popular team, view other users' teams by visiting their profiles and view the overall rankings of players for every position.

Cleverly and with true entrepreneurial spirit, Rouxve then enlisted the support of her brother, Francois to design and develop the site. Francois (18), who’s currently taking his gap year (after matriculating in 2012 as one of the top 20 students in the Western Cape), did this as a favour to his younger sister, but insists that he’s not going to be available for all her idle whims in the future. “I’m intending to use my development skills for myself and while it was nice to have the time to help Rouxve out this time – she is my kid sister after all – she does have a lot of ideas and I’m a bit nervous she’s going to expect the same levels of service in the future!”

Rouxve Meyer

Rouxve explains that while the site might seem very entrepreneurial and clever, really it’s just a dream of hers: “I am not looking to make any money out of this... I just wanted to give people a place to make their selection and to share their selections with everyone else... rather like we do at home, I wanted to see what other people think. I hope people like the idea.”

Although it only went live last month, SA SELECT already has 296 registered ‘selectors’.

So, if you’re an avid Springbok rugby fan and passionate about the South African rugby team, visit the website (www.sa-select.co.za) and register (http://www.sa-select.co.za/Public/Register.aspx) and start selecting your team!

For more information: visit www.sa-select.co.za.

Grade 10 learner honoured

PRESS RELEASE:

Sci-Bono Discovery Centre learner invited to take part in the International Gateway for Global and Gifted Youth (IGGY) Junior Commission

Kamogelo Matjila

Kamogelo Matjila, a Grade 10 learner at Marlboro Gardens High School near Alexandra, has been invited to the UK and USA to take part in the International Gateway for Global and Gifted Youth (IGGY) Junior Commission in a year long global project. “This will be a life changing opportunity for Kamogelo,” says Mrs Louise Lochee-Bayne of the University of Warwick.

This year’s ten Junior Commissioners where selected via an International Competition where the quality of entries was extremely high with entries received from dozens of countries. The rest of the team consists of members from Australia, Canada, France, Pakistan, Singapore, the Netherlands and the UK. Kamogelo is the sole representative from Africa. “The application process was very competitive and Kamogelo did incredibly well to secure her place on the team,” according to Dr Adam Boddison, Academic Principal, IGGY.

IGGY, in partnership with Sci-Bono Discovery Centre and the University of Warwick, is funding Kamogelo to take part in this project, and she will visit the UK and USA as a Junior Commissioner. As part of her role she will visit local schools, interview experts in the areas of technology and education, meet with academics, NGOs commerce and industry and public officials and agencies.

The topic for this year’s Junior Commissioners is ‘Education and the Internet’ and Junior Commissioners are undertaking a collaborative research exercise, examining the expansion and improvement of technology and how this will affect the future of education on a global scale.

Kamogelo is one of the learners attending the Abaholi Saturday School Programme, a tuition enrichment programme funded by the Sasol Inzalo Foundation and run by Sci-Bono Discovery Centre. “We are extremely proud of Kamogelo and honoured to have been able to provide her with additional support through one of our programmes,” says David Kramer, CEO of Sci-Bono Discovery Centre.

Press release: Supernova vol. 2.4

Supernova vol. 2.4 

Supernova vol. 2.4 is as exciting as ever, keeping the BK Publishing standard to always deliver content that is informative and relative, yet entertaining, in order to feed the inquisitive appetites of our children.

As Supernova approaches its second anniversary, we will continue to focus on bringing our audience a quality magazine, forever striving to be the best children's magazine in the country.

Amanda Petersen recently sent us an email: “Supernova is amazing! The content is fun and informative, gripping kids at such a crucial age.”

Here is a taste of what you can look forward to in the next issue of Supernova:

• Aurora borealis
• Dairy farming
• Obsolete objects
• Gems
• Unicycling
• South Africa's Roaming Ruminants

To subscribe:
Email: subscriptions@bkpublishing.co.za
Tel: +27 12 342 5347
Web: www.supernovamagazine.co.za

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ENDS

(239 words)

Note to Editors:

Supernova, the mag for curious kids

Supernova is an educational magazine which is targeted at children between the ages of 9 and 14. Through this bi-monthly publication, BK Publishing aims to make children aware of issues which affect them, their community and the environment, by giving them tools and inspiration to become active and responsible world citizens. The content of the magazine is fun, informative and entertaining and focuses on subjects such as ecology, history, sports, science, world cultures, arts and social issues. The magazine loosely follows and enhances the school curriculum and is used by educators as a class resource. The magazine is hand-illustrated and carefully designed to keep children engaged with the information.

Animation Generation Competition

PRESS RELEASE

Draw a wacky new character to join Finn and Jake from Adventure Time as they traverse the mystical land of OOO, in Animation Generation 2013!

Great prizes up for grabs from Cartoon Network!

Animation Generation 2013

Cartoon Network’s Animation Generation is celebrating its 8^th year in South Africa. This exciting nationwide initiative by Cartoon Network is a drawing competition designed to promote the art of illustration and celebrates the imagination of the many talented young South Africans in schools across the country.

The competition is a unique initiative from Cartoon Network, which aims to harness the passion of their viewers and contribute something back to the local communities. It encourages their viewers to unleash their creativity by developing new fun characters which are limited by nothing but their imagination.

The campaign will target 1900 primary schools in South Africa with participating children between the ages of 6-14 years old. Students from all over the country are invited to enter and have the chance to win amazing prizes. Up for grabs are iPads, Blackberrys and iPods for the top three winners in every age group and the overall school with the most entries will receive R10 000.

This year’s Animation Generation theme is based on the hit show Adventure Time. Students are encouraged to design a new unlikely hero or heroine, villain or villainess to join Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum and Lady Rainicorn as they travel though cities and towns filled with bizarre characters in need of unique assistance.

The aim is to give students the chance to let their imaginations run wild and where better to do this than Cartoon Network, a world where anything can happen and absolutely nothing is impossible. All entries must be original and as inventive as possible and judging will take place by a selected panel which will consist of both local and international representatives from Turner Broadcasting.

The overall winning entry of the three age group categories (6 to 8 years old; 9 to 11 years old; and 12 to 14 years old) will also be aired on Cartoon Network, giving the lucky and talented student the thrill of having his/her artwork shown in a promo on television throughout Africa.

Winner of Animation Generation 2012: "Spidy the Spider" by Nico Smit

Tal Hewitt, VP & GM Middle East, Africa & Turkey for Turner Broadcasting System says: “Cartoon Network is proud to hold the Animation Generation competition for an eighth year. We are seeing more and more creative South African learners enter each year and the talent just keeps getting better.”

This nationwide campaign will kick off in schools from 26 April 2013 with info packs and posters being distributed to students. The closing date for entries will be on 2 September 2013 and the prize-giving will be held at the winner’s school – so don’t wait… start to animate!

For more information on the competition and the Adventure Time show, you can visit: http://www.cartoonnetworkafrica.com/animationgeneration

All entries can be posted to:

HDI Youth Marketeers

Animation Generation Competition Entries

Postnet Suite 331

Private Bag X 51

Bryanston

2021

We say farewell to Helga :,-(

Andrea Vermaak, Benoit Knox and Helga Odendaal

Today is Helga's last day at BK Publishing. We don't want to say good bye, so we won't. Will will, however, say all the best and we hope to see you again very soon!

Here is what Helga has to say about her time with us crazy peeps:

Sadly it has come time to say goodbye to BK publishing. 

When I first started at Supernova magazine, I felt completely out of my depth and inadequate, as I was only a student then. I felt as if the world was saying “Now it's time to become a responsible adult!”. As I got used to it here at BK Publishing, I realised that although Benoit and Andrea are adults they are still very much kids at heart, just like me, and there was nothing to be afraid of. I learned so much here at BK Publishing that it is very very sad for me to say goodbye to this awesome children's magazine and the people involved with it.

Thank you for everyone who shared their experience and expertise with me, for everyone who took time and explained something I did not understand and most importantly becoming dear friends close to my heart. Not only was I blessed with a very fun environment where I worked, I made friends in which I could confide in, ask advice and tease now and again.

Working here has taught me so many things about myself, about the limits to which I can push myself and what I can do for other people. I have learned how to deal with tricky clients and what joy it can bring when sales and your hard work ends successfully! BK Publishing has taught me so much about the publishing industry and everything it is about, more than anything I learned whilst studying publishing, and how much work goes into one 50 page project. I can proudly say I have taken account of all the magazines here, not only once, but twice. I've sent out close to 10 0000 emails, I joke, but it was a lot. Made about the same amount of phone calls, stood for three days on my feet at Hobby-X 2013, made deliveries, filed invoices and credit notes, washed the dishes, made coffee and tea, and Andrea and I probably made more fun of Benoit than he knows about.

My time here was such a blessed time, and I think whoever is going to take my place will be a very lucky person.

You will all be missed.

Love
Helga 

Curious science

Two high school students asked ISS Commander Chris Hadfield to demonstrate what happens when you wring out a waterlogged wash cloth is space.

Check out this amazing video:

What happens when you wring out a wash cloth in space?

Don't forget that Supernova kids are curious kids, so stay curious and ask lots of questions!

Office gossip catch-up time!

Yes, it's been quite some time since we posted any office gossip on our blog. So, it's about time right? We think so too! So here is what we have been up to in the last while...

Benoit Knox, the big boss, is now also a husband. The Dude got hitched this past weekend at a very chilled, beautiful wedding. After dancing non-stop until 2am, he and the Mrs are now sunning it up on the beaches of Mozambique. Congrats you two! Enjoy! (We at the office are all very jealous!)

Andrea Vermaak, editor of Supernova, is back at the office after a week spent photographing aurora borealis in Abisko, Sweden. Despite temperatures of -25ºC at night, she still has all her digits and other extremities. Phew! She also has a bunch of excellent photographs that she would like to share with you in the next issue of Supernova. 

Once intern extraordinaire, Helga Odendaal, is now Publishing Assistant to the big boss and married man. She is much loved by all at the office! Charné Oosthuysen, also much loved by all, is now very much missed by all, as she moved on to another job. We know that she is alive and well, but misses the company of us crazies and all the free coffee. All the best Charné! We hope you're enjoying it despite the lack of coffee and silly antics!

Ryan Canham, also once a hard-working intern at BK Publishing, has now also joined the team as an in-house graphic designer. His enthusiasm surpasses all and his energy is endless. Welcome to the greatest creative team on Earth, Ryan! Now you have to become a crazy, coffee addict like the rest of us! (*cue evil laughter: Mwhahahaha!*)

Welcome also to Chrisna, a second year Publishing student at Tuks. We hope you feel at home here at BK Publishing! (Take advantage of all the coffee - we do!)

Between all the fun and laughter, we're all still working very hard to bring you the best kids' mag in South Africa: Supernova. In the last month we have been to a few schools and exhibitions, and gained many new subscribers and friends. Have you subscribed yet? Email me: andrea@bkpublishing.co.za. Dooooo eeeeet.

Have a crazy, coffee filled day! Bye för nu!