Press Releases

President and CEO of K’NEX, Michael Araten, commented, “K’NEX products have long been a favorite of parents and kids. Receiving acknowledgement of their educational value, safety and especially the enjoyment they bring to children is rewarding and we are honored to be part of this elite group.”

“This year’s Children’s Products winners represent an exciting combination of traditional children’s toys, books and games along with virtual products like video games, ebooks and apps,” said Julie Kertes, NAPPA general manager. “Our list of winners, which will be released on November 1, consists of independent, smaller companies; large manufacturers; and everyone in between.  We are proud to say that in NAPPA competitions, even the mom ‘n’ pops are recognized for their quality products.”

NAPPA’s independent expert judges evaluated hundreds of submissions for their innovation, entertainment and education values and quality. 75 products were selected to receive the esteemed Gold Award while 93 received Honors and 13 were chosen as “Rising Stars.”

For a complete list of all 2011 NAPPA Children’s Products winners and for more information about the competition, visit www.NAPPAawards.com.

About NAPPA
For more than 20 years the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) has been the go-to resource for the best products for families. NAPPA’s team of independent expert judges, along with family and child testers, select the most innovative and enduring products as NAPPA Gold and Honors winners in two annual competitions, Children’s Products and Parenting Resources. Far more than a seal of approval, a NAPPA award signifies that a product has been rigorously evaluated against stringent criteria and stands out among hundreds of other products from around the world. For more information, visit www.NAPPAawards.com.

The three Grand Prize winners and seven finalists were chosen from three age categories.  As Grand Prize winners, Andy from Waterloo, ON, Canada (5-6 year-old age group); Andrew from Glenmoore, PA (7-8 year-old age group) and Josef from Plano, TX (9-12 year-old age group) will each be awarded a $20,000 Series EE U.S. Savings Bond to be used for their education. The seven finalists, who will each be awarded $1,000 Series EE Savings Bonds, are: Jessica, age 5, from Plano, TX; Reilly, age 6, from Slidell, LA; Rachael, age 8, from Garland, TX; Alex, age 8, from Waterloo, ON, Canada; Judd, age 11, from Ottawa, ON, Canada; Melissa, age 10, from Plano, TX; and Evan, age 12, from Huxley, IA.

The three Grand Prize winners will visit K’NEX headquarters in Hatfield, PA on December 2. As guests of K’NEX President Michael Araten the winners will receive their award checks, enjoy a lunch with K’NEX designers and take a private factory tour. Their award-winning models will be displayed at K’NEX headquarters.

“The K’NEXpert contest is the highlight of our year,” said Araten. “K’NEX fans consistently surpass our expectations with their creativity and innovation, building elaborate works of art that wow even our toy designers. We’re proud to have the current winners represent K’NEX during our 20th anniversary year.” he said.

One of those works of art is the Bowser’s Big K’NEX Castle built by 9-year-old Josef. Josef was quite the architect when he designed and built this huge replica of Bowser’s Castle from the Mario Kart video game entirely from K’NEX.

The two other Grand Prize-winning builds are equally impressive. Five-year-old Andy built a replica of biplane which he named Flash the Biplane.  The K’NEXmen pilots look like they might just take off in flight.  Andrew, age 7, created the K’NEX Sky Ride, inspired by real world amusement rides he has ridden. Using more than 2,000 K’NEX pieces, the ride is a K’NEX engineering marvel.

K’NEX is the world’s most innovative construction toy company. As the winner of more than 200 international awards, K’NEX encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.” The K’NEXpert Search is an annual contest that asks kids to design an ultra-creative, original model made entirely out of K’NEX parts. 

 

President and CEO of K’NEX, Michael Araten, commented, “K’NEX products have long been a favorite of parents and kids. Receiving acknowledgement of their educational value, ability to inspire creativity and especially the enjoyment they bring to children is rewarding. We are honored to be part of this elite group.”

For a complete list of all 2011 Parents’ Choice Award winners and for more information about the program, visit www.parents-choice.org.

The renovation, which took place from July 14–20, 2011 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, aimed to help improve The Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House that Barbara Marshall, a 15-year Navy Veteran, established with her own money to offer shelter, support, and mentoring to homeless female veterans.  However, more space and services were needed to continue their work with the women in order to get them back on their feet.  Barbara also wanted a better place for her son, who is developmentally delayed, to live and grow up. 

To figure out the layout of the new house the crew creatively used the Lincoln Logs to build a model.  At the end of the 7 days, they had managed to successfully pull-off the build, and revealed a beautiful house to Barbara so that she can continue to help homeless women veterans.  The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition episode that featured this renovation aired on Sunday, September 25th at 7/6c on ABC and is now available online at:
http://abc.go.com/watch/extreme-makeover-home-edition/SH559052/VD55144807/jubileemarshall-family

Inspired by Mario Kart™ Wii, one of the  most popular  titles for the Wii™ console, the K’NEX Mario Kart Wii Bowser’s Castle Ultimate Building Set™ lets young Nintendo® fans build and play with their favorite video game characters Mario™ and Luigi™ and build the Bowser’s Castle track.  The building sets are designed for children ages 6+, bringing the fun Mario Kart Wii to a new generation and expanding its appeal through a rewarding, age-appropriate K’NEX building experience.

“K’NEX building sets have long been a favorite of parents and kids,” said Michael Araten, president of K’NEX Brands, “We’re pleased to have this terrific building set be included in the Toys “R” Us Holiday Hot Toy List.  This set combines the award-winning K’NEX building system with beloved characters from Mario Kart Wii, bringing them from the video screen to the construction aisle for the first time.”

K’NEX Mario Kart Wii Bowser’s Castle Ultimate Building Set™
Builders can bring Mario Kart Wii to life with the ULTIMATE Bowser's Castle Track Building Set and race Mario and Luigi through the complete, multi-level Bowser's Castle Track. The set includes the parts to build Mario and Luigi, 2 Karts with super-fast battery-powered motors, multiple moving obstacles like Thwomps, Fireballs and Fire Cogs and 4 collectible items from the game: a Mushroom, a Green Shell, a Banana and Bullet Bill! Also includes 26+ pieces of buildable, interconnectable track that creates a multi-level, closed-circuit Bowser's Castle Track! For ages 6+ and available exclusively at Toys “R” Us and www.toysrus.com.

Nintendo Properties are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2011 Nintendo

Kids ages 7+ will soon be able to build and play as they recreate epic moments from their favorite episodes of Top Gear with vehicles inspired by the acclaimed BBC television show. The new products combine the award-winning K’NEX building system with the kind of boundary-pushing challenges that Top Gear is known for. Many of the products include a figure of Top Gear's tame racing driver, The Stig,

The new K’NEX Top Gear line will be available in the United States and United Kingdom in fall of 2011 offering younger fans of the program an entertaining and rewarding, K’NEX building experience. Top Gear’s popularity continues to grow; an American version of the program debuted in 2010 on The History Channel and a second season is due to air later this month.

Stig’s Track Car and Bike Building Set
Young builders can simultaneously create a sleek track car and rough riding motorbike and then combine the two models to create a massive lorry! This building set includes more than 200 parts, a Stig figure driver, graphic labels to customize the build and a Stig figure poster.  Suggested retail $12.99.

Stig’s Race Car Building Set
Double the fun! Kids can build a lightning-fast race car and then modify it to create an all-terrain quad bike. This set comes with a Stig figure driver, graphic labels to customize the build and a Stig figure poster.  With more than 150 parts kids can build anything they can imagine. Suggested retail $12.99.

Stig’s Rally Car Building Set
The challenge for kid car enthusiasts – to build a rough-n-tumble rally car and then modify it to create a speedy go kart. This set comes with a Stig figure driver, a label sheet to customize the vehicles, and a Stig figure poster.  With more than 140 pieces there are plenty of opportunities to build and rebuild different cool vehicles.  Suggested retail $12.99.

Car Darts Building Set
Cars and darts combine in this exciting building set inspired by an iconic Top Gear episode. Kids can create two crash cars and a cool launching mechanism that blasts them off toward a target. The buildable front loader even tows the launcher just like in the show! Once built kids can play alone or against a friend to try to score the most points. Suggested retail $19.99.

Stig’s Attack Copter/Off Roader Building Set
Building two vehicles at once equals big fun for little Top Gear fans. Kids can create an attack copter complete with foam missile launcher and then set it off on a mission to seek and destroy the off-roader they created! This set includes Stig and pilot figures and the copter includes three foam darts. The two models combine to create a mega-assault vehicle for more intense action. Suggested retail $29.99.

The new K’NEX officially licensed Top Gear Building Sets include detailed instructions and will be available in August 2011 in the United States exclusively at Toys R Us.

The Show Us Your Track contest challenges young builders ages 6 – 12 to create their own unique and exciting track layout using the new K’NEX Mario Kart Wii building sets. Upon completing their layout kids are asked to submit three photos and a paragraph or short video highlighting the track’s unique features online at http://showusyourtrack.com. 10 winners will be chosen based on creativity, uniqueness and detail. 

“Children always astound us with their amazing creations,” said K’NEX President and CEO Michael Araten. “We can’t wait to see what they build with the new K’NEX Mario Kart Wii sets and look forward to rewarding their creativity.”

The new K’NEX Mario Kart Wii building sets are available at Toys ‘R’ Us stores nationwide and online at www.toyrus.com. K’NEX Mario Kart Wii products include characters, interconnectable track, buildable vehicles and obstacles from the Mario Kart Wii game. The sets are designed for children ages 6+ and combine the K’NEX building system with beloved characters from Mario Kart™ Wii, bringing them from the video screen to the construction aisle for the first time.

This contest runs through January 15, 2012. It is open to children ages 6 - 12 and requires parental consent. For more information, rules and to enter visit http://showusyourtrack.com/ or scan the QR Code located on Mario Kart product displays at Toys ‘R’ Us stores.  No purchase necessary.

Out of 76 nominees, 22 companies were selected to join this unique Hall of Fame in 2011. In addition to K’NEX these companies include New Balance®, Ethan Allen®, Harley-Davidson® and other iconic American brands.

“Being inducted into the Made in the USA Hall of Fame is a real honor,” said Michael Araten, President and CEO of K’NEX. “As we approach the 20th anniversary of K’NEX in 2012 our commitment to US manufacturing only grows. Both K’NEX and our sister company The Rodon Group are humbled to be included in this group alongside some of America’s great brands.”
K’NEX Brands has two operating units – K’NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™; and The Rodon Group, an American custom plastic injection molder specializing in high volume, small plastic parts for over 100 industries. Both K’NEX and The Rodon Group are active members of the organization American Made Matters whose mission is to educate consumers about buying US-made products to help strengthen the American Dream. Both companies are third generation family businesses located in Hatfield, PA where they are proud to be a part of the local community while encouraging American entrepreneurship.
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About The Rodon Group
The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001-2008 certified plastic injection molder.  In business since 1956, the Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility.  With over 106 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States.  The Rodon Group serves a diverse group of industries including consumer products, medical, construction, pharmaceutical and toys.  Since 1992, Rodon has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K’NEX building toy system, and is a subsidiary of K’NEX Brands, L.P.  For more information please visit www.rodongroup.com.

“We’re thrilled to support the education of talented kids at a greater level than ever before,” said Michael Araten President and CEO of K’NEX. “I look forward to meeting the builders who will represent K’NEX during our 20th anniversary year.”

The K’NEXpert Search challenges kids to build unique construction models in one of four categories: futuristic, vehicles, amusement park thrill rides and ultimate K’NEX model. The models made entirely of K’NEX pieces are judged on creativity, uniqueness and detail.

In addition to a $20,000  Series EE US savings bond for college, the three grand prize winners will also receive a trip for three to K'NEX headquarters near Philadelphia, PA for the K’NEXpert Award Ceremony, where they can meet each other and discover, through company designers and a factory tour, how K’NEX is made. Seven finalists will each receive $1,000 Series EE US savings bonds and all ten winners will receive $250 worth of free K’NEX Building Sets, and their very own photo gallery page at www.knex.com. All semi-finalists and finalists will receive discounts on online purchases for a year, K’NEX gear and a K’NEX birthday gift.

The 2012 K’NEXpert Search will run from now through September 6, 2011 with winners announced in October. Children can enter by visiting http://www.knex.com/News_and_Events/2012-KNEXpert.php Submissions must include a photo of the creation and a one-minute video or one-page summary describing how the child came up with the idea, how long the design took to build and how many K’NEX pieces were used.
A panel of judges comprised of K’NEX employees will select semi-finalists; an online vote will determine ten winners and Joel Glickman, inventor of K’NEX, will choose the three Grand Prize Winners.
The K’NEXpert Search is open to U.S. and Canadian residents and there is no purchase necessary. For the Official Rules, and more information on K’NEX, the contest and previous winners, visit www.knex.com.

Joining forces with the American Museum of Science and Energy, K’NEX Brands, one of the world’s leading integrated construction toy companies, is displaying models made solely from K’NEX rods and connectors. The models range from a roller coaster measuring over 10 feet long, to a 6 foot Ferris wheel, and a variety of swing rides from 3-10 feet.

The realistic actions of the models bring scientific and engineering concepts to life for students, who can conduct simple experiments to explore physical forces such as potential and kinetic energy, and linear and rotational motion.

In addition to the exhibit AMSE provides hands-on activities and K’NEX building areas for children ages 6 and up and KID K’NEX for youngsters ages 3-5. Happily, children don’t have to leave their on-site creations behind – instead, they can purchase their designs, with pricing based on a Weigh & Pay model (weight of total parts used at a predetermined price). The AMSE Discovery Shop also has K’NEX sets on sale for aspiring young engineers and architects.

“We are delighted to form this educational partnership with K’NEX,” said Ken Mayes, Deputy Director of AMSE. “What better way to engage kids to learn about math and science than through creative and innovative play. K’NEX provides children with a marvelous construction toy that allows them to think out of the box, use their imagination, and learn about the physical sciences while also challenging them to go beyond the basics to more advanced learning.”

The relationship with AMSE evolved from K’NEX’s past and successful traveling exhibit program that offers a fun, interactive exhibit that creates a hands-on K’NEX environment for kids and their parents.

“The feedback from parents, the kids and the museums was tremendous,” said Maureen Kratz, K’NEX Exhibits Manager. “We thought the idea of amusement park rides—one of our key areas of expertise—and the science powering them, was the perfect way to create a fun, exciting learning experience for kids.”

The K’NEX: Building Thrill Rides will be at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee though September 5, 2011. For more information about the exhibit, please visit www.amse.org. To learn about K’NEX Brands and the company’s thrill ride exhibit, please visit www.knexexhibits.com.

Fans can enter the Christmas in July giveaway twice per day every day (once on www.knex.com and once on www.facebook.com/buildknex) for the entire month of July.  After the giveaway closes on July 31st one entrant will be randomly chosen to win $1,000.

“We love interacting with our fans,” said K’NEX President and CEO Michael Araten. “As we look forward to the 20th anniversary of K’NEX next year, our focus will continue to be on our fans, and the many fun ways we can give back to them for all the support they have given us.”

This giveaway is open to K’NEX fans age 13 and older. For more information and to enter visit www.knex.com or www.facebook.com/buildknex. For official rules visit www.knex.com/Shop/rules/Christmas-In-July-Sweepstakes-Rules-2011.pdf. No purchase necessary.

Jill Worth
The Rodon Group
215.822.5544, x 102
jworth@rodongroup.com

 In business since 1956, The Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility, including manufacturing over 30 billion parts since 1992 for the K’NEX building toy system. With over 105 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States.

K’NEX has become one of the world’s leading integrated construction systems for children and the winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions. A focus on Building Worlds Kids Love™ has resulted in Sesame Street®, NASCAR®, Monster Jam® and Mario Kart® Wii-licensed K’NEX building sets along with K’NEX branded building sets for kids ages 2 – 12. K’NEX is the only U.S. construction toy company, with over 90% of its parts manufactured by The Rodon Group in Hatfield, PA.

“At K’NEX and Rodon, we’ve learned that manufacturing in America can actually be more cost effective than manufacturing overseas,” said Michael Araten, President and CEO of both K’NEX Brands and The Rodon Group. “We are thrilled to make this kind of quality, cost effective domestic manufacturing available to other businesses looking to eliminate the risks of offshore sourcing.”

Araten believes that the upcoming July 4th holiday is a perfect time to consider the importance of American manufacturing. “Our nation was founded on an entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to shape our own growth by inventing and making everything we use. Continuing to shed our manufacturing base is akin to trying to run a race without running shoes – you can do it, but you are at a tremendous disadvantage.”
Both K’NEX and The Rodon Group are active members of the organization American Made Matters whose mission is to educate consumers about buying US-made products to help strengthen the American Dream. Both companies are third generation family businesses located in Hatfield, PA where they are proud to be a part of the local community while encouraging American entrepreneurship.

About The Rodon Group
The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001:2008 certified landfill-free, plastic injection molder. In business since 1956, The Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility. With over 105 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated plastic injection molders in the United States and serves a diverse group of industries including consumer products, medical, construction, pharmaceutical and toys. Since 1992, Rodon has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K'NEX building toy system, and is a subsidiary of K'NEX Brands, L.P.

The session, called “Checkmate! Winning Strategies For Display Results in a Social & Audience Buying World,” used case studies to focus on the intersection of interests, context, and social marketing that create brand opportunities.

Joining Rentschler in the panel discussion were Michael Rubenstein, President of AppNexus and Hal Muchnick, President of Kontera. K’NEX, working with Kontera, successfully used contextual advertising in the fourth quarter of 2010 to reach consumers and build brand awareness.

At the session Rentschler spoke about the experience K’NEX had using contextual advertising and offered her suggestions on social media, SEO, and online advertising for other companies. K’NEX focuses on online and grassroots marketing efforts to reach potential customers for its building toys.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 500 leading media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising.

The promotion invites K’NEX Mario Kart fans to register online to receive a free Mario™ or Luigi™ K’NEX figure. 300 figures are being distributed each day during the five week promotion. Of the 10,000 figures, five lucky grand prize winners will receive a Mario figure plus a Golden Ticket that entitles them to a special prize package including: a  Wii™  console (a $150+ value), the entire K’NEX Mario Kart Wii product line (18 toys featuring Mario, Luigi, Yoshi™, and their favorite karts and bikes on two popular Mario Kart Wii tracks -- a $632 value) and a trip to tour K’NEX headquarters in Hatfield, PA.

For more information, complete rules and to enter the sweepstakes visit www.knexpromo.com.  No purchase necessary.

Nintendo properties are trademarks of Nintendo. Nintendo is not a sponsor of the K’NEX Golden Ticket promotion.

“Mario Kart fans are among the most passionate we have encountered” said K'NEX President Michael Araten “so we’re thrilled to offer 10,000 free Mario Kart Wii figures and look forward to meeting the  five lucky grand prize winners through this unique promotion.”  

The first K'NEX officially licensed Mario Kart Wii building sets were available for sale at www.knex.com in March 2011 and an expanded line will be available at retail locations in the U.S. and Canada in June 2011. K’NEX Mario Kart Wii building sets let kids build their favorite Mario Kart characters along with tracks, accessories and obstacles, bringing a video game favorite to the construction toy aisle for the first time.

For more information, complete rules and to enter the sweepstakes visit www.knex.com/mariogoldenticket.  No purchase necessary.

K’NEX Brands has 2 operating units – K’NEX, the only US construction toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love™; and The Rodon Group, an American custom plastic injection molder specializing in high volume, small plastic parts for over 100 industries.

“Being asked to join this group of business leaders is a real honor,” said Araten. “As CEO of a company called K’NEX I realize the vital importance of making connections – in business and in life, connections make us all stronger. I look forward to learning from others in the Smart100 as well as sharing what I have learned both at K’NEX and on the manufacturing side at Rodon.”

The Smart100 companies represent a variety of industries including insurance, construction, manufacturing, non profits and education. Each Smart100 CEO will also be profiled in the 100-plus-page annual Smart100 Book, which SmartCEO will publish as its 13th issue in September.

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About The Rodon Group
The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001-2008 certified plastic injection molder.  In business since 1956, the Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility.  With over 106 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States.  The Rodon Group serves a diverse group of industries including consumer products, medical, construction, pharmaceutical and toys.  Since 1992, Rodon has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K’NEX building toy system, and is a subsidiary of K’NEX Brands, L.P.  For more information please visit www.rodongroup.com.

The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001:2008 certified landfill-free high precision plastic injection molder located in Hatfield, PA. In business since 1956, the Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility. With over 105 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States. The Rodon Group serves a diverse group of industries including consumer products, medical, construction, pharmaceutical and toys. Since 1992, Rodon has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K'NEX building toy system.

“At K’NEX and Rodon, we’ve learned that manufacturing in America can actually be more cost effective than manufacturing overseas,” said Michael Araten, President and CEO of both K’NEX Brands and The Rodon Group. “Rodon offers globally competitive prices and eliminates the risks of sourcing off shore.  In fact, Rodon has been running its successful “Cheaper than China” promotional campaign for the last 18 months.  By employing strict manufacturing standards, they have achieved a remarkable 99.92% Product Quality Acceptance Rate. We are thrilled to make this kind of quality, cost effective domestic manufacturing available to other businesses, especially those in the toy industry, where Rodon’s background, industry specific expertise and capabilities make it a natural partner.”

For more information and to request a quote from the Rodon Group please visit www.rodongroup.com or call 800-523-8792.

About The Rodon Group
The Rodon Group is an ISO 9001-2008 certified plastic injection molder.  In business since 1956, the Rodon Group makes billions of parts each year in its 125,000 square foot facility.  With over 106 injection molding presses, Rodon is one of the largest family-owned and operated injection molders in the United States.  The Rodon Group serves a diverse group of industries including consumer products, medical, construction, pharmaceutical and toys.  Since 1992, Rodon has manufactured over 30 billion parts for the K’NEX building toy system, and is a subsidiary of K’NEX Brands, L.P.  For more information please visit www.rodongroup.com.

“Being lucky enough to attend two Monster Jam live events last year, I gained an appreciation for the exciting family friendly entertainment that Monster Jam offers,” said Michael Araten, president of K’NEX Brands. “We look forward to sharing that unique experience with our fans and their families in Philadelphia this year.”

The first K’NEX Monster Jam building sets debuted in stores and online in July 2010 and the line is expanding to include even more monster trucks in 2011 and 2012. The building sets include the world’s most popular monster trucks, K’NEXmen drivers, ramps and additional pieces.  Monster Jam, owned by Feld Motor Sports℠ is the largest and most popular touring monster truck property in the world, entertaining over 4-million fans yearly across the globe.

Tickets are still available for Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam at Lincoln Financial Field.  Log on to http://www.monsterjam.com/Events/2011/06/04/Philadelphia,_PA/ for event and ticket information.

About Feld Motor Sports℠
Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is the world leader in specialized arena and stadium-based motor sports entertainment.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. productions include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMA Arenacross Series, Freestyle Motocross, Nuclear Cowboyz® and IHRA® Nitro Jam®.  Feld Motor Sports, Inc. is a division of Feld Entertainment, the world’s largest producer of live family entertainment.  For more information on Feld Entertainment, visit www.feldentertainment.com.

Established in 2004, the GCC aims to combat the growing health risks associated with the increasingly sedentary nature of today’s modern workforce. It achieves this by challenging employees to walk over 10,000 steps per day – a proven and recommended way of reducing your overall risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.

Divided into teams of seven, over the course of 16 weeks the employees will record their daily activity levels on the GCC website. Their activity is converted to an overall distance and the team’s progress is plotted along a virtual tour of the world. The more active the team, the further they progress on their virtual journey. 

Michael Araten, CEO & President of K’NEX and The Rodon Group said that encouraging employees to be involved in the GCC is a way to help employees improve their overall health, wellbeing, morale and energy levels.  “With employees spending a significant proportion of their day behind their desks, we feel it is important to help encourage physical activity in our day-to-day office routine.  K’NEX and Rodon are excited to be participating in the challenge since it’s a great way of making a lasting impact on the health of our personnel, while having some fun at the same time.” said Araten. This year, K’NEX and Rodon have registered 42 employees in the GCC. In total more than 125,000 people from 78 countries in the world will participate.

In addition to helping its employees improve their health, K’NEX is sponsoring 42 local primary school children to take part in the Global Children’s Challenge.  In 2011, the Global Children’s Challenge will help over 125,000 children get moving and more active. For more information about the GCC, please visit www.gettheworldmoving.com. 

“After reaching 5,000 fans in December of 2010 and surprising one fan with a $500 K’NEX prize pack we decided to launch an even bigger giveaway to celebrate reaching 10,000 fans,” said K’NEX President and CEO Michael Araten. “Our Facebook page is home to a vibrant and growing community of K’NEX builders so we’re excited to reward another of these special fans.”

This giveaway is open to K’NEX Facebook fans only. A winner will be selected at random once the page reaches 10,000 fans/likes. For more information and to join the K’NEX Facebook community visit www.facebook.com/buildknex. No purchase necessary.

“We’ve always been proud to be a local Pennsylvania business” said Michael Araten, President and CEO of K’NEX Brands. “More than just manufacturing our goods in this community, we live in the community so we’re so happy to give back through our affiliation with Souderton Area High School.”

“At Souderton, we are thrilled that K’NEX partnered with us to recognize the academic achievements of our students,” said Sam Varano, Principal of Souderton Area High School.

K'NEX serves as one of Souderton Area High School's Career Pathway Partners helping to expose high school students to various careers and participating in the school's Career Day program. Earlier this year, K’NEX donated a full size grandfather clock building set to Souderton Area High School’s Big Red Marching Band.  The marching band built the more than 9,000 piece grandfather clock as a team-building project.  After completing the project, the marching band students toured K'NEX to learn about the business of making building toys.  The grandfather clock is now on display at the high school.

"The K'NEX 6-Foot Ferris Wheel grabs the attention of kids and parents alike, inspiring them to build and be creative," said Michael Araten, President and CEO of K'NEX, "so we knew it would be a perfect fit for the Museum of Science and Industry, a place known for jaw-dropping exhibits."

"MSI's mission is to inspire inventive genius in our guests, and this Ferris wheel is a fun example of what can be achieved with ingenuity, creativity and engineering," said Peter Papp, MSI Museum Store director. "We are excited to showcase it to our guests."

With 8,550 colorful parts and standing over 6 feet tall, the 6-foot K'NEX Ferris wheel is one of the largest K'NEX building sets of all time. It is displayed in the Museum Store, located in the Entry Hall, with an assortment of K'NEX building sets available for sale.

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About the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI)
MSI offers thousands of fun and interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind, world-class experiences to inspire the inventive genius in everyone. Through its Center for the Advancement of Science Education, MSI also aspires to a larger vision: to inspire and motivate children to achieve their full potential in science, technology, medicine and engineering. The Museum is supported in part through the generosity of the people of Chicago through the Chicago Park District. For more information, find MSI online at msichicago.org or call (773) 684-1414 or (800) GO-TO-MSI outside of the Chicago area.

This year the building challenges for each grade level were: Grades 1–2, create a house for a teddy bear; Grades 3–4, build a tower that can support a softball; and Grades 5–6, recreate the rescue of the Chilean miners. After building their model, the students were asked to write a 1–page description of their creation to be submitted along with photos to the K'NEX judging panel.

This year's winners by grade level are:

• Grade 1 – CH Homeschool, which created a house for a teddy bear that included windows, shutters, and a motorized fan.
• Grade 2 – Grace Homeschool whose ornate house for a teddy bear featured a garage, deck, fireplace and two floors.
• Grade 3 – Central Park School for Children who designed and built a working elevator using a pulley system with a counterweight as part of their tower.
• Grade 4 – Tyndall Youth Center which built a replica of the Twin Towers measuring over 5 feet and including wheels for transportation.
• Grade 5 – Riverbend Elementary School whose crane and capsule were created to closely mirror the equipment used in the rescue of the Chilean miners.
• Grade 6 – Glenfield Middle School which used a motor and created a pulley, stand and capsule to recreate the rescue of the miners.

"The winners of the K'NEXpert Classroom Challenge amazed me with models displaying both creativity and logic," said Michael Araten, President and CEO of K'NEX: "If their problem–solving skills are any indication — the future is in good hands."

The winning classrooms in each grade level receive several prizes including a $350 shopping spree on knex.com and a free K'NEX building set for every child in the class.

"The heroism of the many kids and families that deal with chronic health conditions never ceases to amaze me," said Michael Araten, president of K'NEX Brands. "It was our honor to provide K'NEX building sets for this special bedroom befitting a very special kid."

K'NEX provided 25 age appropriate toys comprised of over 10,000 colorful pieces for Patrick who is a building enthusiast and enjoys designing robots. The toys were part of a themed bedroom created to appeal to Patrick's love of building. The new bedroom is just one of the extensive renovations to the Sharrock family's 50–year–old home which had become unsafe for Patrick. The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition episode that featured this renovation aired on Sunday May 15 at 8/7c on ABC and is available online at http://abc.go.com/watch/extreme-makeover-home-edition/SH559052/VD55126652/sharrock-family.

About Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

The Emmy award winning reality program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," now in its 8th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It's executive-produced by Brady Connell and George Verschoor. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 8:00–9:00 p.m., ET on ABC.

"We are very honored to be recognized by a respected industry publication like Consumer Goods Technology magazine," said K'NEX President and CEO Michael Araten, "and we hope that our philosophy and the information we shared on our drop ship program in the magazine helps other businesses flourish."

K'NEX was one of eleven businesses selected by Consumer Goods Technology magazine as companies to watch in 2011 and beyond. Each selected business received a one-page profile in the magazine focusing on general company information, the biggest successes of 2010-2011, and each company's future plans. The Standout SMBs were Consumer Goods Technology's April feature story and an image of the new K'NEX Mario Kart Wii-licensed building set appears on the magazine's front cover.

K'NEX recently introduced new spring additions to its line of building toys for kids ages 2+ including new sets in the popular Sesame Street, NASCAR and Monster Jam-licensed lines as well as the brand new Mario Kart Wii building toys.

Consumer Goods Technology magazine is the leading resource for consumer goods executives looking to improve business performance. The April issue of CGT is available online at http://www.consumergoods-digital.com/consumergoodstechnology/201104#pg1.

Winning schools are Marshall Middle School (Wexford, Penn.), Glenfield Middle School (Montclair, N.J.), St. Raphael Catholic School (Bay Village, Ohio), Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Ohio) and Fairbanks Local Schools (Milford Center, Ohio).

Students in grades 6 through 12 were asked to construct a "real life" ride, considering mathematical and scientific applications such as potential and kinetic energy, speed, acceleration, gravity and/or rotational motion. A select group of K'NEX designers and Cedar Point ride engineers evaluated entries based on creativity, uniqueness, detail and accuracy of the ride description.

"We were extremely impressed by the quality of rides submitted by the school groups," said Rob Decker, corporate vice president of planning and design at Cedar Point. "The models showed innovative thinking, creativity and mathematical skill. We hope the students had as much fun constructing these rides as we had judging them."

The winning models will be displayed as part of Cedar Point's Math & Science Week celebration, which invites middle and high school students to participate in educational programs and activities located in various areas along the park's midways. Each winning classroom will be given complimentary tickets to visit Cedar Point as well as a K'NEX building sets and a knex.com shopping spree valued at $250.

"K'NEX builders never cease to amaze us with their creations and these amusement park rides are no exception. I hope that seeing these models displayed next to the life size thrill rides at Cedar Point will inspire more students to explore the fascinating world of building amusement park attractions!" said K'NEX President and CEO Michael Araten.

In celebration of Cedar Point's Math & Science Week, K'NEX will display a giant, six-foot Ferris wheel and provide a building station for park guests. Other Math & Science Week participants include Center of Science and Industry of Columbus (COSI), the Imagination Station in Toledo, Ohio and the Detroit Science Center. New this year will be weather education presentations, where Cedar Point teams up with various television networks to educate students on how weather uniquely impacts the park. Participating weather forecasters include Betsy Kling of WKYC-TV 3 in Cleveland, Ohio, Doug Moats of FOX Toledo, Jim Geyer of WLNS-TV 6 in Lansing, Mich. and Eric Elwell of ONN-TV in Columbus, Ohio.

The winning classroom from Glenfield Middle School in Montclair, N.J. will travel to Sandusky for Math & Science Week to see their model on display. "Teaching with K'NEX gave me a chance to have the students apply math to technology, writing and science in an exciting manner," said the school's math teacher, Courtney Washington. "The students are excited that they won and equally excited to meet the engineers who judged their work."

For a complete schedule of events, please visit www.cedarpoint.com or by calling 419.627.2350. Follow Math & Science Week updates on Cedar Point's official Facebook and Twitter pages. For more information about K'NEX and upcoming building contests, please visit www.knex.com or the K'NEX official Facebook page.

About Cedar Point Amusement Park
Cedar Point Amusement Park, located in Sandusky, Ohio, opened in 1870 and is the third oldest amusement park in North America. Voted the "Best Amusement Park in the World" for 13 consecutive years by "Amusement Today," the park features more rides than any other amusement park, including 17 roller coasters, as well as multiple other rides fit for the entire family. Cedar Point also hosts various shows and attractions throughout the year. The park officially opens for the season on Saturday, May 14, 2011. For more information, visit www.cedarpoint.com.

Sesame Street Best Friends Building SetKids can build their own best friends Elmo and Cookie Monster from Sesame Street! Includes 8 pieces, enough to build both well-loved pals and take them on fun adventures. Perfect for stocking stuffers, Easter baskets or first-time K'NEX builders. Suggested retail price is $5.99. Available Spring 2011.

Elmo's Chilly Day, Elmo's Rainy Day and Cookie Monster's Sunny Day Building Sets
Little builders can bring their Sesame Street friends to life in any weather. Each set includes a buildable character (Elmo or Cookie Monster) plus blocks to create a sunny, wintery, or rainy day. A "Play and Learn" activity sheet offers fun, educational activities and additional building ideas. Suggested retail price is $6.99. Available Spring 2011.

Sesame Street Talking Pirate and Talking Knight in Armor Elmo Building Sets
Elmo is ready to take kids on an adventure! Children will delight in building this popular character then pressing Elmo's head to hear two fun phrases about his exciting adventures. The included "Play and Learn" activity sheet offers ideas for collaborative fun for the whole family. Suggested retail price $16.99. Available Fall 2011.

Since 2007, K'NEX has been a proud partner of Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street. The new K'NEX Sesame Street building sets are available at Toys 'R' Us, Target, online retailers and on www.knex.com.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization that changed television forever with the legendary Sesame Street. As the single largest informal educator of young children, local Sesame Street programs produced in countries as diverse as South Africa, Bangladesh and India are making a difference in over 120 nations. Using proprietary research to create engaging and enriching content, Sesame Workshop produces programs such as Dragon Tales and Pinky Dinky Doo. In addition, multimedia needs– driven initiatives provide families tools for addressing such issues as children's health, military deployment and emergency preparedness. As a nonprofit, product proceeds and philanthropic support endow Sesame Workshop's educational research and creative content for children around the world. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org.

The new products combine the award winning K'NEX building system with beloved characters from Mario Kart™ Wii, bringing them from the video screen to the construction aisle for the first time.

The new K'NEX Nintendo line will be available at all major retailers in fall of 2011 and includes characters, buildable vehicles and obstacles from the Mario Kart Wii game. The building sets are designed for children ages 6+, bringing the fun Mario Kart Wii to a new generation and expanding its appeal through a rewarding, age–appropriate K'NEX building experience.

Mario, Yoshi, and Luigi Standard Kart Building Sets
Favorite characters race off the screen as kids build Mario, Luigi, or Yoshi in their Standard Karts from Mario Kart Wii. Once built, the kart's pull-back motor and accessories from the game, like a mushroom, add to the fun! Suggested retail price is $14.99 each.

Mario and Luigi Standard Bike Building Sets
Ride into the fast lane with Mario and Luigi Standard Bike Building Sets! Each 31 piece building set includes a Mario or Luigi figure and comes in a wedge-style package that doubles as a ramp. Suggested retail price is $7.99 each.

Mario and Luigi Starting Line Building Set
The excitement of Bowser's Castle track from Mario Kart Wii comes to life! Kids can build Mario and Luigi in their Sprinter Karts with super-fast battery powered motors. Collectible items such as a star and 16 pieces of interconnectable track make post-building play realistic and fun! Children can create cool track patterns and watch the characters race. Suggested retail price $59.99.

Mario vs. Thwomps and Mario vs. Goombas Building Sets
Mario can race, but can he survive the Thwomps and Goombas obstacles? Kids can find out by building Mario in his Wild Wing Kart with a moving Thwomps Obstacle or in his Standard Kart with a moving Goombas Obstacle. The fast battery powered motor, 2 collectible items and 6 pieces of interconnectable track ensure building and racing fun. Suggested retail price $29.99 each.

The new K'NEX Nintendo Building Sets will be available July 2011.

The Bucks County Children's Museum is delighted to receive such wonderful support from an internationally known and locally-based company. "We are thrilled to feature K'NEX in our Factory Works Exhibit. K'NEX has provided us with a durable and educational product that children will love and even parents will have a hard time putting down," said Kelly Krumenacker, President of the museum.

"For kids, play is important work. Children's museums understand that better than anyone and make the educational work of play available to millions of children every year. We are honored to support The Bucks County Children's Museum through this donation," said K'NEX President and CEO Michael Araten.

With the mission of creating educational, fun and interactive experiences for young learners, The Bucks County Children's Museum secured a site at Union Square in New Hope, PA, in October of 2010. This 5,000 square foot facility, set to open in fall 2011, will feature a variety of themed exhibits for children to explore. For more information about the Bucks County Children's Museum visit www.buckskids.org.

Founded in 1992, K'NEX Brands, the world's most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world's leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions, K'NEX is America's building toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to "imagine, build and play." For more information, please visit ww.knex.com

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Bucks County Children's Museum
Union Square - New Hope, PA 18938
Contact: Mandee Kuenzle
E-mail: mkbcoverage@gmail.com
Phone: 1.908.246.0882

Cosmic Twist Coaster
Kids can build a spine–tingling space–themed coaster! With over 700 K'NEX pieces and 19+ feet of track, the Cosmic Twist Coaster provides an out–of–this–world experience for advanced builders and coaster fans. Fireball graphic flags, a metallic car, and hair raising twists and turns ensure lots after–building fun, too. Color–coded, easy–to–follow building instructions are included, and kids can go to knex.com to download instructions for a second awesome coaster. Suggested retail price: $49.99. Available August 2011.

DoubleShot Roller Coaster
K'NEX fans can now build a truly giant dueling roller coaster! The DoubleShot Coaster includes over 1,100 K'NEX pieces for the ultimate coaster building experience. Two dueling cars race through more than 32 feet of twists and turns while kids wonder who will make it to the bottom first! At over 3.5 feet tall the DoubleShot Coaster takes dueling action to new heights. Color–coded, easy–to–follow building instructions are included. Kids can download instructions for a second awesome coaster model on knex.com. Suggested retail price: $59.99. Available August 2011.

K'NEX Thrill Ride building sets are available wherever toys are sold.

Roary the Racing Car is narrated in the U.S. by Indy and NASCAR racer Sam Hornish Jr. and follows the adventures of Roary™, a bright, loveable and energetic single-seater, along with his amazing and diverse group of race car friends at the Silver Hatch racetrack.

Roary Building Set
Kids can build Roary the Racing Car, Silver Hatch Racetrack's #1 Star! This set includes 18 chunky pieces for easy building fun along with a trophy and road sign for exciting after-building play! Clean up and storage is easy with the fun customized storage container! Suggested retail price is $12.99.

Tin Top Building Set
Little race fans can build Tin Top, Silver Hatch Racetrack's American Stock Car! This set includes 16 chunky pieces for easy building along with an orange cone and road sign for fun play! Suggested retail price is $12.99.

Maxi Building Set
Not to be left out, kids can build Maxi, Silver Hatch Racetrack's Italian F1 Racing Car! Race into fun with this set including 18 chunky pieces along with a flag and road sign! Suggested retail price is $12.99.

Silver Hatch Garage Building Set
Take a break from the race to tune up Roary the Racing Car in the Silver Hatch Garage! This set includes 40 fun pieces, buildable gas pumps, a removable hood on Roary's car, floor mat, and other accessories for exciting after-building play! Suggested retail price is $24.99.

Both the Silver Hatch Start Line and Silver Hatch Garage Building Sets include cardboard cutout scenes on the back of the packaging to add to the children's building and play experience.

The new Roary the Racing Car Building Sets by KID K'NEX are available now at Toys"R"Us stores and Toysrus.com.

About Roary the Racing Car

Roary the Racing Car is a turbo-charged pre-school series that follows the adventures of Roary™, a bright, loveable and energetic single-seater, and his amazing and diverse group of racing car friends at Silver Hatch race track. Roary's™ enthusiasm and curiosity often leads him into trouble, but he's a novice with a heart of chrome under his hood, always willing to make amends. Children join Roary™ on his journey, learning lessons as they go: how to do the right thing, how to be positive and helpful to others, road safety, the environment, ways to share and communicate, problem-solving and the importance of exercise and healthy living. The series, which airs in the US exclusively on Sprout®, uses a cutting edge combination of CGI, stop frame animation and colorful sets to convey a real sense of speed with all the thrills and spills of the race track. For more information, please visit www.roarytheracingcar.com

"We are honored to be able to help this tremendous organization," said Michael Araten, president of K'NEX Brands. "With over 1.4 million Americans, including over 200,000 kids, suffering from Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, we are thrilled to provide funds for vital research and education programs."

The program kicked off on April 1, 2011 on www.knex.com, where 10% of online sales during the month of April will be donated to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. Donations are accepted with or without making a purchase. In addition, a team of K'NEX Brands employees will be participating in the Take Steps for Crohn's & Colitis events in Philadelphia. For more information about the program and how you can help, please visit the Take Steps information page and www.ccfa.org

About the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America
Founded in 1967, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization with the mission to cure Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and improve the quality of life of children and adults affected by these diseases. Today, the organization has grown to 40 local chapters, with more than $150 million raised and invested in research for a cure. This funding has enabled many groundbreaking treatments, improved the quality of care for individuals with these conditions, and brought hope to countless lives. For more information, please visit www.ccfa.com.

Specially designed for children ages three years and older, the new sets are filled with colorful, chunky KID K'NEX rods, connectors, personality parts, and blocks. Each set comes with creative building ideas to spark little builders' imaginations.

Monster Buddies/Silly Monsters Building Sets
Creative kids can build fun monsters and silly buddies with these 23-piece sets. Filled with KID K'NEX rods, connectors, and personality parts, little builders can let their imaginations run wild crafting cute and friendly creatures! Each set includes ideas for five alternate builds. Suggested retail price is $9.99

Ocean Buddies Building Set
Kids will dive into fun as they build with this new ocean-themed set. 23 KID K'NEX pieces including rods, connectors, personality parts, and a new buildable scuba diving figure provide a well-rounded building and play experience for children ages 3+. Ocean Buddies includes ideas for four alternate builds and works well with the Undersea Friends Building Set. Suggested retail price is $9.99.

Tractor Pals Building Set
Even city kids can experience the fun of a farm with the KID K'NEX Tractor Pals Building Set. With 23 pieces including rods, connectors, blocks, personality parts, and a new buildable farmer figure, children will enjoy both the building and play possibilities. Tractor Pals includes ideas for four alternate builds and works well with the Farmyard Friends Building Set. Suggested retail price is $9.99.

Undersea Friends Building Set
This building set with 48 pieces including rods, blocks, connectors, personality parts, and new buildable scuba diving KID K'NEX figures will make a splash with children! Fish friendly kids can build and play with their own ocean scene. Undersea Friends includes ideas for ten alternate builds and works well with the Ocean Buddies Building Set. Suggested retail price is $19.99.

Farmyard Friends Building Set
KID K'NEX Farmyard Friends Building Set promises barnyards of farm fun with 47 pieces including rods, blocks, connectors, personality parts, and for the first time, parts to create a new KID K'NEX farmer figure. Buildable friendly farm animals including a pig and cow as well as a barn ensure that play continues. Farmyard Friends includes ideas for ten alternate builds and works well with the Tractor Pals Building Set. Suggested retail price is $19.99.

The new KID K'NEX Building Sets will be available in July 2011 on knex.com and at toy retailers nationwide.

"K'NEX fans have always enjoyed building with the parts that started it all, our original rods and connectors," explained K'NEX President and CEO Michael Araten. "As we approach our 20th anniversary next year, we felt that now was the right time to introduce new sets containing exclusively these classic K'NEX pieces."

K'NEX Classics Garage/K'NEX Classics Gas Station
Kids can build their own garage and gas station with classic K'NEX pieces! The garage (120+ pieces) and gas station (140+ pieces) building sets include enough parts for kids to build two vehicles and the actual garage or gas station all at the same time! Included graphics make the garage and gas station more realistic for play after building . Each set is packed in a reusable container with a lid that is actually incorporated in the model! Sets sold separately. Perfect for builders ages 5+. Suggested retail price is $10.99.

K'NEX Classics 30 Model Building Set
Classic K'NEX pieces mean big building fun! Kids can let their imaginations run with this 300+ piece set. The K'NEX Classics 30 Model Building Set includes ideas to build 30 models like a truck, helicopter and dunebuggy or kids can create their own one of a kind models! Perfect for ages 7+. Suggested retail price is $29.99.

K'NEX Classics K'NEXosaurus Rex Building Set
Kids can build their own K'NEXosaurus Rex with classic K'NEX pieces! The K'NEXosaurus Rex building set includes 200+ pieces and a battery powered motor that can build the K'Nexosaurus Rex or the Megasaur alternate build. Little builders can create either colorful dinosaur model and watch it stomp to life! Recommended for ages 7+. 2 AA batteries required but not included. Suggested retail price is $24.99.

The new K'NEX Classics Building Sets will be available in July 2011 on knex.com and at toy retailers nationwide.

Xtreme Ops Series
Xtreme Ops lets kids ages 5+ combine building fun with cool mission-ready vehicles. The Xtreme Ops Assortment 1 buildable battle-ready vehicles include Mission: Fireforce Rebels, Mission: Desert Strike, Mission: Jungle Guard, and Mission: Arctic Attack. Each set includes 80+ pieces, 2 K'NEXmen, 1 blaster, 2 missiles and a graphic label sheet for explosive fun! Mission: Desert Strike and Mission: Fireforce Rebels vehicles also have working suspensions for a cool battle experience. Suggested retail price $11.99. Available July 2011.

Ready for the next mission? Xtreme Ops Assortment 2 lets kids build even larger battle-ready vehicles including Mission: Jungle Rescue, Mission: Arctic Quest, Mission: Desert Command, and Mission: Fireforce Resistance. Each set includes 150+ pieces, 3 K'NEXmen, 2 blasters, missiles and a graphic label sheet for more extreme play. The Mission: Fireforce Resistance vehicle features working suspension to easily navigate rough terrain. Suggested retail price $24.99. Available July 2011.

The two assortments complement each other and can be combined to create an Xtremely cool mega build! How cool is that!

Micro Amusement Park Series
Introduced in 2008, the K'NEX Amusement Park Series™ has quickly become one of the most popular assortments in K'NEX history. Now the series is expanding with the addition of three new micro amusement park rides! Kids can build their own mini amusement park, with the Swing Ride, Pirate Ship, and Octopus Ride Building Sets! Each set is loaded with over 190 K'NEX rods, connectors and bricks and is kid-powered to move just like the real ride. Perfect for builders age 7 and up. Each sold separately. Suggested retail price: $11.99. Available March 2011.

Collect all the Micro Amusement Park rides to build a mini amusement park or combine the sets in Xtreme Ops to create an ultimate build. Each Collect and Build Series provides a complete building experience which can be enjoyed alone or by combining sets. K'NEX Collect and Build sets are available at major retailers nationwide and on knex.com.

As part of the effort, K'NEX will use its experience in educational set development to create new education products based on the unique aerospace equipment which resides at the NASTAR Center. The new products developed from this collaboration will address important science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts which are vital for insuring that students are globally competitive.

"We're thrilled to be associated with the NASTAR Center and expect this development effort to yield some 'out of this world' educational building sets that assist teachers and engage kids," said K'NEX CEO and President Michael Araten. "This set will provide an engaging and exciting educational resource for students. We hope this will inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields," commented William F. Mitchell, President and CEO of Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC), NASTAR's parent company.

The first product to result from this partnership, an aeronautics-based physical science set for middle school students, will debut in early 2012 and will compliment the existing K'NEX Education line. For more information visit K'NEX Education at www.knexeducation.com.

About NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training And Research (NASTAR®) Center is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC®) (Pink Sheets: ETCC.PK). NASTAR Center is a state-of-the-art aerospace training, research, and educational facility dedicated in improving the health and safety of humans in extreme conditions. NASTAR Center serves military aviation (fixed and rotary wing), civil aviation (fixed and rotary wing), space travel (government and private) and provides research support for component and human factors testing. For more information, please visit www.nastarcenter.com

"We're proud to support The United Way again this year," said Michael Araten, president of K'NEX Brands. "The recent tragedies in New Zealand and Japan underscored the importance of gratitude and giving back. Raising funds for an organization like The United Way which provides vital aid around the world is more important now than ever."

The partnership allows K'NEX to support The United Way's goal of producing results in the areas of education, income and health. The funds raised will further the United Way's mission to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities to advance the common good.

About K'NEX Brands

Founded in 1992, K'NEX Brands, the world's most innovative construction toy company, was established to make and sell what has become one of the world's leading integrated construction systems for children. Winner of over 200 international awards and recognitions, K'NEX is America's building toy company focused on Building Worlds Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to "imagine, build and play." For more information, please visit www.knex.com.

The Cedar Point K'NEX Great Thrill Ride Build-Off pits classrooms and other student groups in competition to build the most innovative and thrilling amusement park ride model using K'NEX building sets.

"Amusement park rides aren't just fun to ride, they are also fun to create and a great way to teach important math and science principles," said K'NEX President and CEO Michael Araten. "We are excited to partner with Cedar Point to award creative young builders through this unique building contest."

Running from Jan. 31 through April 3, the Cedar Point K'NEX Great Thrill Ride Build-Off is designed for middle and high school classes and student organizations such as a science clubs. Upon registration, participants will receive a discount coupon that can be used for the purchase of materials from knex.com. However, no purchase is necessary to compete.

Participating schools must design and build a ride and submit a photo/video of the project on www.knex.com. The five winners will have their rides displayed at the park during Cedar Point's Math and Science Week, scheduled from May 16-20.

Prizes include K'NEX building sets and gift certificates and complimentary admission tickets to Cedar Point. For more information, official contest rules, and to enter, visit www.cedarpoint.com or www.knex.com .

About Cedar Point's Math and Science Week

During Math & Science Week, special educational programs, demonstrations and activities designed for middle and high school students are presented at the park. Other exhibitors include NASA's Glenn Research Center of Cleveland, COSI (Center of Science and Industry) of Columbus, the Detroit Science Center and others. A Weather Education Day will also be held during the event. For additional information about Math & Science Week at Cedar Point, please visit www.cedarpoint.com/mathscience.