We are looking for Ireland’s Young Online Innovators

(Monday, 5th September 2011) eircom today announced details of the 2011 eircom Junior Spider Awards. This is the third year of the awards, which recognise and reward primary and post primary students for the pioneering and successful ways they use the internet in their daily lives.
The awards are divided into primary and post primary categories. At primary level, The Mega Spiders has three award categories that students can enter, which are Best School Blog, Best Project and Best School Website.

Entries at post primary level are split into two groups: The Giga Spiders for 1st to 3rd year and the Tera Spiders for 4th to 6th year. Both age groups have the same award categories including Best Web App, Best Web Design and an award for a site in Irish called Suiomh is Fearr. There is also the Grand Prix award up for grabs, which is the award for the overall winner in the Mega Spiders, Giga Spiders and Tera Spiders categories.

Commenting on the awards, Carolan Lennon, eircom Chief Commercial Officer and Chairperson of this year’s judging panel said, “eircom is delighted to sponsor the Junior Spider awards again this year. Promoting innovation in technology is very important and involving young people is crucial. Over the last few years the awards have been a huge success with students across the country taking part and showcasing their fantastic ideas.

With such a high standard of entries the judges have had a hard task deciding on previous year’s winners.I am looking forward to an even higher standard this year. It is terrific to see such enthusiasm and creativity from the students. Supporting innovation in technology is a high priority for eircom”.

For more information and further details on how to enter the 2011 eircom Junior Spider Awards log onto www.juniorspiders.ie.
The closing date for entries is Tuesday 1st November 2011. The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 13th December at the Helix, DCU.

The eircom Junior Spider Awards are supported by the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE), C2K, IEDR, Intel and Business & Finance.

You can also connect with the eircom Junior Spiders on Twitter (twitter.com/juniorspiders), or on Facebook (Facebook.com/eircomjuniorspiders) or watch our videos- on Eurocreator (eurocreator.com/channels/Juniorspiders) or You Tube (youtube.com/user/JuniorSpiderAwards).

eircom Junior Spiders 2011 Categories:

Mega Spiders (Primary Age Group):

• Best Project: The website can be based on any project a class/group has completed in school. It may be created by the teacher and then filled with content by students. The projects contents must be on the curriculum.
• Best School Blog: The blog should cover school related topics and have a lot of student interaction from across the school.
• Best School Website: It must be the official school website. 
• Grand Prix: The Grand Prix winner is the overall winner in any age group, taken from the category winners.

Giga Spiders (Secondary 1st to 3rd Year Age Group):

• Best Concept: This can be a whole new idea or it can be a new way of showing information that already exists online. The website can be based on an area of school, hobby, sport or other interest.
• Best Project: The website can be based on any project a class/group has completed in school. It may be created by the teacher and then filled with content by students. The projects contents must be on the curriculum.
• Best Web Design: Best look and feel, with clear navigation, user friendly, with clever use of online tools/apps. The site can be based on any area of interest.
• Suiomh is Fearr: Ní mór an suíomh a bheith go hiomlán i nGaeilge, ach féadfaidh aistriúchán Béarla  roghnach a bheith ar fáil. Is féidir an suíomh a bheith bunaithe ar aon ábhar suime  agus is féidir é a bheith ina bhlag nó ina láithreán Gréasáin
• Best Web App: A web application that is fully developed and available to use. It should be user friendly, useful and innovative.
• Grand Prix: The Grand Prix winner is the overall winner in any age group, taken from the category winners.

Tera Spiders (Secondary 4th to 6th Year Age Group):

• Best Concept: This can be a whole new idea or it can be a new way of showing information that already exists online. The website can be based on an area of school, hobby, sport or other interest.
• Best Project: The website can be based on any project a class/group has completed in school. It may be created by the teacher and then filled with content by students. The projects contents must be on the curriculum.
• Best Web Design: Best look and feel, with clear navigation, user friendly, with clever use of online tools/apps. The site can be based on any area of interest.
• Suiomh is Fearr: Ní mór an suíomh a bheith go hiomlán i nGaeilge, ach féadfaidh aistriúchán Béarla  roghnach a bheith ar fáil. Is féidir an suíomh a bheith bunaithe ar aon ábhar suime  agus is féidir é a bheith ina bhlag nó ina láithreán Gréasáin
• Best Web App: A web application that is fully developed and available to use. It should be user friendly, useful and innovative.
• Grand Prix: The Grand Prix winner is the overall winner in any age group, taken from the category winners.

For further information, please contact:
eircom:
Dearbhaill Rossiter / Clare O’Riordan
+353 1 600 5284 / +353 1 600 6360
drossiter@eircom.ie  / coriordan@eircom.ie

Business & Finance:
Tracy Mongan
+353 1 237 7013       
tracy.mongan@businessandfinance.ie