(Tuesday, 26th May 2009) For the first time in Ireland, the search begins in schools nationwide for Ireland’s most talented and innovative users of the Internet in education with the launch of the inaugural eircom Junior Spider Awards.

 Seeking entries from students in Primary and Post Primary schools in the Republic and Northern Ireland, this unique competition will recognise successful and clever ways in which students use the web to benefit their local school communities. It will also provide a benchmark of excellence and best practice in the use of the Internet in education in Irish schools.

 Commenting at the launch today, Minister for Education & Science, Batt O’Keeffe T.D., said "It is wonderful to know that teachers’ representative groups are fully supportive of this initiative. Teachers are key to facilitating and guiding students in entering this award scheme. We are all very much aware of how adept our young people are in the use of modern technology. They instinctively personalise its use and are capable of bringing added functionality in ingenious and creative ways. The eircom Junior Spider Awards provide a timely way of recognising Irish students’ creativity and inventiveness in their use of the web in a learning context. I want to congratulate eircom for sponsoring these awards’’ the Minister said.

 Speaking also at the launch, Michael Kennedy, Marketing Director, eircom said, "eircom is committed to supporting innovation in technology. This is evidenced through our long standing involvement with the eircom Golden Spiders Awards and our own annual Innovation Fund. We are delighted to extend this commitment to the Junior Spider Awards which will recognise and promote the outstanding achievements of students across Ireland. These students play an integral role in the creative development of Internet usage in Irish education and this is a perfect opportunity for them to showcase their skills. I would like to extend the very best of luck to all those who enter."

There are two levels to the competition, one for Primary and one for Post Primary. Primary school students will compete across five categories including: Best educational website, and Best website design (including blogs, podcasts and social networks) while there are seven categories at Post Primary level including: Best web application, Best concept and a "Watch your Space" category.

Teachers will also be awarded at the eircom Junior Spider Awards as students can nominate a teacher for their contribution to the use of the Internet in their school. The award for Best Teacher Contribution will be given to one teacher from a Primary and a Post Primary school.

For more information and to enter the 2009 eircom Junior Spider Awards simply log onto www.juniorspiders.ie.

The closing date for entries is Friday, 6th November 2009 and the awards ceremony will be held on December 18th 2009.

The eircom Junior Spider Awards is supported by Business & Finance, The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE), the .ie Domain Registry and TV3. It is also has the full support of the following education organisations:

• The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO)
• The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN)
• The Computer Education Society of Ireland (CESI)
• Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI)
• National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD)
• The Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI)
• The Irish Secondary Students Union (ISSU)
•  Primary Times