November 30, 2007 - Homeschooler Abby Bartlett, 14, has turned her fascination with guinea pigs into a winning web site in the Academy Days Homeschool Co-op's second annual web site design contest. Bartlett's web site, www.GuineaPigCentral.net, beat seven other sites designed by high school students in the fall term computer class.

“I really like guinea pigs, and I've always wanted one,” said the 8th-grader, explaining her choice of web site topic.

GuineaPigCentral.net features information on guinea pigs, such as various breeds and how to care for them. She had hoped that her research and web site would convince her parents to let her get a guinea pig.

To Bartlett's disappointment, her parents still veto the acquisition of a guinea pig. [Note from Editor: Six months later, her parents let Abby buy a guinea pig.]

A panel of three judged the students' web sites based on various factors, such as quality of content, use of visuals and accomplishment of their stated goals. As the winner, Bartlett's site will receive free web site hosting for one year and will be highlighted on a local Montgomery information site, www.OnlineMontgomery.com.

Although her immediate future does not include a guinea pig, Bartlett remains interested in web site design. “Now I'm creating a web site for my piano teacher,” Bartlett said.

Academy Days offers homeschool co-op classes for a variety of high school and elementary subjects difficult to teach at home or best taught in group settings, such as science labs, P.E. and computers.