iParenting Media Awards Whyville.net as One of Its Greatest Products of 2006

Leading Virtual World for Children and Tweens Receives Recognition for Educational Value


LOS ANGELES, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 6, 2006 --Whyville.net, the leading edu-tainment virtual world for children and young teenagers (ages 8-15), has been named one of the Greatest Products of 2006 by respected product service tester iParenting Media. The web site was one of roughly 200 honorees picked from a pool of consumer products ranging from toys, educational books, music, gadgets, as well as video games and software. To be considered for this award the site was reviewed by hundreds of experienced reviewers who thoroughly evaluate each item for its value as a family-friendly product.

With 1.9 million registered users and 50MM page views a month, Whyville is the leading edu-tainment virtual world for kids and young teens (8 to 15). Created by Caltech scientists and based on the principles of interactivity and inquiry-based learning, the virtual community offers kids and teenagers a range of fun edu-games pertaining to math, science, technology, art, history, journalism, archeology and more. Whyville also offers youth a safe place to chat and socialize due to its various levels of built-in security. The activities inside Whyville are sponsored by world class entities such as NASA, Disney, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Toyota, the JP Getty Trust (Getty Museum), University of Texas and the School Nutrition Association.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be recipients of the iParenting Greatest Products of 2006 award. Whyville puts a huge emphasis on both educating kids and keeping them safe online, which is of huge importance to parents. It's nice to be recognized for this by such a trusted organization," said Jay Goss, COO of Whyville.

Certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), iParenting Media is a leading authority on family consumer products. As part of the rigorous review process, companies were asked to submit product samples which were then matched with iParenting reviewers. Field specific experts worked alongside families to provide a thorough test and evaluation of each product. iParenting Media's Executive Committee then made final approvals resulting in the recognition of approximately 200 outstanding children's products across 18 categories.

About Whyville

Whyville (http://www.whyville.net) is the leading educational virtual world for boys and girls, ages 8 to 15. For eight years, the site has successfully created an environment that engages children to learn while having fun. Inside Whyville, "citizens" learn & play, socialize & recreate, govern & earn, write & design, eat & dance, and much, much more. Numedeon, Inc., Whyville's parent company, develops virtual worlds that promote learning through interactivity and engagement. Founded by Caltech scientists, Numedeon combines research expertise in neuroscience with education experience from the internationally recognized Caltech Pre-college Science Initiative to conceive of an innovative way to harness the power of the Internet for the purpose of engagement and education. In formal education parlance, the education in Whyville is designed to be hands-on, inquiry-based and constructivist, embedded within motivational settings among peers.

Contact Information: Media Contact: Jennifer Fader Terpin Communications (310) 821-6100 x112 jfader@terpin.com