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Grandmother Turns Passion For Kids, Computers Into Critically-Acclaimed Learning Products Company Susan Giles has never let a challenge-or an opportunity to help her children and grandchildren-pass her by. Married after high school, Giles soon found herself raising young three girls as a single mom. Facing increasing financial burdens and future college expenses for the girls, she decided to obtain her undergraduate degree with the expectation of going to graduate school. Giles completed her B.A. degree in Political Science, Distinction with Highest Honors from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. She graduated first in her class. Moving her family to California, Giles entered the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her masters degree in city and regional planning. Upon graduation she spent two years managing a consulting practice, then started a management consulting firm that was later merged with Laventhol & Horwath. Two years later she was recruited to Ernst & Young where she was made a partner managing a practice for the company's western region. In the early 1990's Giles struck out on her own again, serving as a strategic planning consultant to companies including Sun Microsystems, Bank of America, the California Public Employees Retirement System and others. She began teaching at the university level in 1995, taking a position at the University of Southern California's School of Policy, Planning, and Development, where she teaches a masters seminar in economic development finance. Giles has co-authored a newly-released book entitled Fundamentals in Economic Development Finance; in January 2002,she starts a new position as an adjunct professor at New School University, Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy in New York City. Insight Produces Learning Breakthrough Through all her many accomplishments, Susan Giles has never compromised her love for her family, or her passion for learning. It was during one such occasion in late 1997, as she was teaching her then three -year-old granddaughters Molly to use the computer, that she noticed the difficulty Molly was having operating the computer mouse. "It was obvious that the mouse was the wrong size and shape for her hand, and the clicking motion was awkward," recalls Giles. "I started sketching some ideas for a smaller, rounder mouse that would be activated by a squeezing motion." In early 1998, Giles recruited an engineering design team to create a prototype that she started testing with schoolchildren. After tests with 250 students at preschools and elementary schools in northern and southern California, plus a number of product refinements, the KidzMouse, The Kid-Friendly Computer MouseSM, was born. According to Giles, KidzMouse is an invitation for children to use computers. "Teachers have problems getting kids to sit down and use computers. Much of the reason is that traditional mice are too big and awkward for small hands. KidsMouse is about half the size of ordinary mice, and the squeezing motion is much more compatible with young children's developing motor skills." The KidzMouse, which has been developed in three colorful character designs--MollyMouse, BenjieBee, and CoolBug-features a "head" that occupies the front one-third of the device. Children can squeeze anywhere on the character's head to activate the mouse. The patented design has received strongly favorable reviews from a number of educators, children's advocacy groups, and educational publications. KidzMouse Gains Distribution, Customers Formed in 1998, KidzMouse, recently launched its product. KidzMouse is quickly gaining retail distribution on the Internet as well as through popular bricks-and-mortar retailers. All three designs are available from the KidzMouse Web site, www.kidzmouse.com, as well as from Tiger Direct (www.tigerdirect.com). The products are also available at select Talbots stores; other retail agreements with several "big box" retail chains are currently in negotiation. Retail price for the KidzMouse is $23.95. For Giles, what matters most about KidzMouse is the feeling of empowerment it gives children. "Kids get excited about KidzMouse because it's something their size," she says. "Children have really been left out of this whole computer craze we're going through. One second-grader said to me, 'The KidzMouse is small enough for me to control the world.' That's exactly how I want kids to feel." About KidzMouse, : Founded in 1998, KidzMouse is a privately-owned computer peripherals and learning products company specializing in niche products and technologies for specific user audiences. Its signature product, KidzMouse, The Kid-Friendly Computer MouseSM, is a pint-sized product children can "squeeze" rather than "click." Available in three bug characters-MollyMouse, Benjie Bee, and CoolBug-KidzMouse matches the way a child's hand works, and has received rave reviews from child advocacy organizations and publications. Based in San Mateo, California, KidzMouse, makes computer learning fun and easy for anyone. More information about KidzMouse can be found at www.kidzmouse.com, by email at corporate@kidzmouse.com, or by calling 888/503-KIDZ. Contact:
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