Calling all young Webmasters!

December 6 is the deadline for Web developers under 18 to submit their projects to the Cable & Wireless Childnet Academy. To qualify, they must be a key person in the development of a site that benefits other young people. Two examples:

* ChildSoldiers.org, which spotlights the experiences, art, poetry, and plight of children caught up in war, beginning in Sierra Leone and now throughout the world. The project, according to its site, "has its roots in a friendship between two teachers at opposite ends of the Earth, who are both part of iEARN, the International Education and Resource Network."

* MatMice.com, a site created by three Australian teenagers (and sisters) which hosts kids' Web sites and provides easy tools for site development - all for free. At last check, 867,308 people had developed home pages at MatMice.

Winners receive a place at the Academy, which will be held in Jamaica next spring (3/26-4/1); a grant from the project development fund totaling $50,0000+; an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Jamaica (must be accompanied by an adult); and follow-up Web support from Childnet and the Academy's mentors and trainers. Webmasters in any country are welcome to submit. Here's the "How to Enter" page at the Academy's site, based in London.