Hostway Names 'Youngest Web Wizards' After National Search for Whiz-Kid Designers

Fourth-grader and eighth-grader earn national recognition in Hostway's first search for "America's Youngest Web Wizard"

Chicago, IL—Thursday, April 14, 2005—After a four-month nationwide search to find the most talented K-8 Web designers, global Web hosting leader Hostway Corporation today named Eric Fancher and Danika Young “America’s Youngest Web Wizards.”

Eric Fancher, 10, of Atlanta, Ga., a fourth-grader at Dunwoody Springs Elementary School, created a website dedicated to his Cub Scout den. Danika Young, 14, of Atkinson, Neb., an eighth grader at Atkinson Junior High, created a website as a study guide and homework resource for “Maniac MaGee,” an award-winning children’s literature book taught at her school and at schools across the country.

Hostway awarded each of the two “Web wizards” a Dell Inspiron 8699 laptop ($1,500 value) and 12 months of free website hosting.

“On behalf of Hostway, I would like to congratulate the winners, finalists and entrants that shared their creative and inspirational websites in Hostway’s first national ‘Web Wizard’ search,” said John Lee, vice president of marketing, Hostway. “I’m happy to say it was extremely difficult to judge the websites as they were all very professionally developed.”

Fancher, winner of the K-5 division, said that he created his site, www.pack266drag onpatrol.org, to help his Cub Scout den stay on top of their busy schedule.

“I made all of my best friends at Scouts, and I wanted to help bring us all together since we are from four different schools,” said Eric Fancher. “I started designing the site in October, and by February, it was complete. I took it slow and tried to learn and master at least one item a week. So far, I have learned 25 different things about designing a website.”

Fancher, a very tech-savvy fourth-grader, plans to use his Web development skills this summer by creating websites for local businesses that do not have a Web presence.

“It amazes me that many restaurants and stores my family and I go to don’t have websites,” said Fancher. “This summer I plan on setting up as many websites as I can for them. I will also use the free Web hosting I won in this contest to set up my own Web design company.”

Young, 14, winner of the 6-8 division, said she created her site, atkinson.esu8.org/maniac, to show how much she enjoyed reading the book, “Maniac Magee.” What started as an after-school project turned into an extremely helpful resource for teachers across the country.

“I have received many e-mails from teachers nationwide thanking me for creating such a useful and fun site for them to use along with their regular ‘Maniac Magee’ teaching materials,” said Danika Young. “Some teachers assume that I am a teacher and ask where I work. They are shocked and amazed when I tell then I am only in eighth grade!”

This is the second website Young has designed. She previously designed a website that earned her second place in a statewide Web design competition.

“My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Morrow, was my inspiration for the website,” said Young. “She basically taught me everything I know about computers.”

Across the nation, elementary and middle school students design Web sites without receiving the recognition that they deserve. Hostway developed the “Web Wizard” search to honor these tech-savvy students and increase the awareness of technological education.

Student-submitted websites were judged by a panel of executive judges from Hostway and competed on the basis of content, structure and navigation, visual design, functionality and success of their websites.