Search is on for First-Ever National Geographic Kids Expedition Team Assignment: Galapagos

Search is on for First-Ever National Geographic Kids Expedition Team Assignment: Galapagos

National Geographic Kids Magazine Partners with National Geographic Channel's 'Everyday Explorer' to Encourage Hands-On Exploration

New National Contest Sponsored by the Makers of Purell(R) Instant Hand Sanitizer

Life Happens Outside the Classroom, So Should Education

WASHINGTON, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The search for America's top kid explorers has begun, and 15 of them will win the field trip of a lifetime -- a 10-day expedition to the exotic Galapagos Islands where they'll walk in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and meet some of the most amazing animals in the world.

It is all part of the Everyday Explorer Challenge, a fun-filled and innovative learning experience sponsored by National Geographic Kids magazine, the National Geographic Channel, and the makers of Purell(R) Instant Hand Sanitizer to promote hands-on exploration for America's youth.

Fifteen kids submitting entries that the judges believe best meet the judging criteria, including demonstrating a passion to explore, will be selected for the inaugural National Geographic kids' expedition team and will take the ultimate field trip on board a Lindblad Expedition ship, accompanied by a National Geographic explorer and other experts.

The Galapagos, a remote chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean and the site of Charles Darwin's famed research, has been referred to as the soul of wildness. It is home to giant tortoises, sea lions, fur seals, penguins, iguanas, lava lizards, finches, albatrosses, geckos and more than 1,600 species of insects. On its adventure, the expedition team will experience abundant wildlife in natural and pristine setting and learn from experts how to observe and not disturb this amazing place. They also will be equipped with their own Nikon Cool Pix digital camera and will receive tips from National Geographic experts on capturing their discoveries in pictures.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity launches National Geographic Channel's (NGC) "Everyday Explorer," a new campaign with cable affiliates that brings hands-on exploration opportunities to local schools and communities.

"When I think back to what I remember most from my school days, I was most excited by the times I got out of the classroom, exploring the world around me," said Dr. Mike Heithaus, "Everyday Explorer"'s behavioral ecologist. "Adventure and exploration are right outside your door, and this contest is the perfect catalyst to inspire kids to get out and explore."

"Kids are natural explorers," said National Geographic Kids Editor in Chief Melina Bellows. "Each month we dare our readers to explore, by opening their eyes to the larger world around them, including animals, kids in other places, science and other insights about the globe. We now look forward to having them share their discoveries about the everyday things that make their communities unique and wonderful."

"The Purell(R) brand goes hand in hand with the Everyday Explorer Challenge," said Dawn Kidd, senior product manager for the Purell(R) brand. "When kids explore, they bump into germs around every corner. Purell(R) Instant Hand Sanitizer is an easy, effective and portable way for kids to kill 99.99% of common germs that may cause illness."

The Everyday Explorer Challenge runs through Oct. 31. Students should explore their local communities, take a picture of a place they discover or like to explore, and write a 100- to 200-word essay describing how they actively explore their community and the most interesting things they have found. They can write about the things they find in their backyards or gardens, on their street, at the park or zoo, in the woods, in the local creek or pond -- anywhere in their communities. The contest is open to kids who will be between the ages of 9 and 14 during the Galapagos expedition (scheduled for May 13-22, 2006). A panel of National Geographic experts will select the 15 winners.

Each winner will bring a parent or guardian on the expedition. No purchase is necessary to enter the contest. Complete rules and details can be found online at http://www.everydayexplorer.com/. Teachers around the country will also be provided with an Everyday Explorer Challenge poster, which includes exploration-themed lesson plans and entry forms for the contest.

Beyond this competition, NGC's "Everyday Explorer" program will include additional lesson plans, giant maps of the world for participating schools, a robust Web site with materials for teachers, parents and students, high-speed Internet content and local events in select markets featuring National Geographic explorers.

Based at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel is a joint venture between National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F) and Fox Cable Networks. National Geographic Channel debuted to an initial 10 million homes in January 2001, and has been one of the fastest growing networks in history. The Channel has carriage with all of the nation's major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available to 55 million homes. For more information, please visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel.

National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. It has received numerous industry awards, including the 2005 Periodical of the Year award from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.3 million. It is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $3.95 a copy. Its Web site is at nationalgeographic.com/ngkids; AOL Keyword: NatGeo.

Headquartered in New York City, Pfizer Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals and many of the world's best-known consumer brands. Headquartered in Morris Plains, New Jersey, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare is the world's second-largest consumer healthcare company, with a portfolio of market-leading brands that also includes Purell(R) Listerine(R), Neosporin(R), Benadryl(R), Sudafed(R), Visine(R) and Rogaine(R).

Lindblad Expeditions was founded in 1979, originally as a division of Lindblad Travel, which was founded in 1958 by Lars-Eric Lindblad, the pioneer of expedition travel. Lindblad operates a fleet of six ships in regions such as Galapagos, Antarctica, Arctic Norway, Alaska and Baja California, to name a few. The company is known for its commitment to sustainable tourism and is the recipient of many environmental awards. Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic recently joined forces to create one-of-a kind learning adventures for travelers of all ages.

Subject to Official Rules, available at http://www.everydayexplorer.com/ or http://www.nationalgeographic.com/\kids. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Open only to legal residents of the U.S. (excluding residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories and possessions) who are age 9-14 as of 5/13/06, when the Expedition (as defined in the Official Rules) departs. You must have your parent's or legal guardian's permission to enter. Employees of Sponsor, Fox Entertainment Group, JWT, Pfizer, Lindblad Expeditions, Porter Novelli, Einson Freeman, and their respective parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members or persons living in the same households of such individuals are not eligible. To enter, take a picture of a place in your community and then write an original personal essay between 100-200 words telling a) how you actively explore the place and b) what are the most interesting things you've found there ("Entry"). Send your "Entry" along with official entry form available at http://www.everydayexplorer.com/ or with a 3 x 5 card that includes your name, address, phone number, birth date, email address, and parent/guardian signature to: Everyday Explorer Challenge Contest, National Geographic Society, L. Marcus, 104 West 40th Street, 18th Fl., New York, NY, 10018. Contest ends 10/31/05. Entries must be postmarked by 10/31/05 and received by 11/7/05. Limit 1 entry per person. Fifteen (15) Grand Prize Winners will each receive a Nikon Coolpix digital camera and a place on the Lindblad Expedition to the Galapagos Islands from May 13-22, 2006 (total ARV of each Grand Prize; $12,000); VOID IN PUERTO RICO, U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sponsor: National Geographic Society, 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20036-4688.

Source: National Geographic Channel

CONTACT: Chris Albert of the National Geographic Channel,
+1-202-912-6526, CAlbert@natgeochannel.com, or Nord Wennerstrom of The
Fratelli Group, +1-202-496-2124, NWennerstrom@fratelli.com, for the National
Geographic Channel; Carol Seitz of the National Geographic Society,
+1-202-828-6678, cseitz@NGS.ORG, for the National Geographic Kids Magazine;
Natalie Adler of Porter Novelli, +1-202-973-5865,
Natalie.Adler@porternovelli.com, or Teresa Panas of Pfizer Consumer Health,
+1-973-385-4653, Teresa.panas@pfizer.com, both for Purell(R); MJ Viederman of
Lindblad Expeditions, +1-413-549-3950, maryjov@expeditions.com

Web site: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel
http://www.everydayexplorer.com/

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