THE Cable & Wireless Jamaica Foundation will be hosting the International Childnet 2005 Academy and Conference, which opens today at the Sunset Resort in Freeport, Montego Bay. It runs until April 1.

The academy is a prestigious international event for young people from all over the world - all winners in the Cable & Wireless international childnet web development competition.

The competition, open to young people 18 years and under, is administered by Childnet International, a United Kingdom-based international children's Internet charity, sponsored by Cable & Wireless.

"The goal of the competition is to recognise the outstanding creativity of young people who develop innovative Internet projects which bring positive benefit to other people around the world," Cable & Wireless Jamaica said yesterday.

Eighteen-year-old Jamaican Shawna-Kay Lester is among the international winners in this year's competition.

Shawna-Kay, who won the "New to the Net" category, is the second successive winner for Jamaica in this competition, as last year, Carrie-Ann Gordon of Immaculate Conception High also came out on top in the same category.

Winners will receive a grant from a special $55,000 web development prize fund and an opportunity to attend the Academy for a week under the tutelage of experienced, internationally recognised web development professionals.

Members of the public can view the Internet projects and vote for their favourite at www.childnetacademy.org/winners. The winner will be presented with a special prize to be announced on March 31.

A special feature of this year's academy will be a one-day international conference to review the impact that the Internet is having on children and young people, to be held at the Wyndham Rose Hall & Country Club on March 31.

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