FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2006

THE 2006 W3 AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Bainbridge Youth Services website wins Silver at the 2006 W3 Awards!

Bainbridge Island, WA - The Winners of The 2006 W3 Awards have been announced by the International Academy of the Visual Arts today. Receiving over 2,300 entries, The W3 Awards honors outstanding websites, web marketing, and web advertising created by some of the best interactive agencies, designers, and creators worldwide.

The W3 awards are unusual because it is the first major web competition to be accessible to the biggest agencies, the smallest firms, and everyone in between. Small firms are as likely to win as Fortune 500 companies and international agencies.

Among the winners in the Silver category was the Bainbridge Youth Services (BYS) website, BainbridgeYouthServices.org. The BYS missions is dedicated to promoting the social and emotional well-being of all Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap County adolescents through counseling and diverse outreach programs and services.

Located in the Commodore Building at Bainbridge High School, BYS helps kids find small jobs in the community and offers free counseling, confidential counseling services to teens. The BYS staff is composed of Masters level, credentialed counselors available by appointment.

The W3 Awards is sanctioned and judged by The International Academy of the Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a "Who's Who" of acclaimed media, interactive, advertising, and marketing firms. IAVA members include executives from organizations such as Alloy, BRANDWEEK, Coach, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Estee Lauder, HBO, iNDELIBLE, Monster.com, MTV, Omnicom, Polo Ralph Lauren, Refinery, Sotheby's Institute of Art, Victoria's Secret, Wired, Yahoo!, and many others.

"We were amazed at the caliber and quality of work we received this year. Our winners continue to push the envelope of internet creativity and web design, and it is gratifying to see such great work from the smallest agencies to the biggest firms" said Linda Day, the director of the IAVA. "

On behalf of the over 200 members of The International Academy of the Visual Arts, we are honored to recognize our winners as they continue to set a high standard of excellence for Web development."