U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis

Press Room

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON DC 20585

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 19, 2010

EIA’s Energy Kids and Energy Explained Websites Chalk Up More Awards

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, continues to garner web awards in 2010. The latest awards come from the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC), whose board of directors chose EIA’s Energy Kids website (http://www.eia.gov/kids/) as the first recipient of its "Best in Show" award, and as the first-place recipient of awards for "Best Website" and "Shoestring Budget."

"We were impressed by the fact that it took first place in both the Shoestring Budget and the Web Site I categories,” said Maria VanderKolk, NAGC competitions chair and member of the NAGC Board. "It also speaks to the changing nature of communications."

EIA's Energy Explained adult energy education website, http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained also won second place in the "Best Electronic Publication" category.

NAGC announced the 2010 winners of its Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards Competition at a banquet held May 17 in Washington, D.C. NAGC received more than 440 entries for the annual competition, which recognizes superior communications efforts of government agencies and the people who create them.

"EIA's Energy Kids and Energy Explained websites both use plain language and clear graphics to help explain a sometimes complex, but vital subject," said EIA Administrator Richard Newell. "It is certainly gratifying that the quality of EIA's efforts to promote public understanding of energy has been recognized by others."

In April, Energy Explained earned a "ClearMark" Award of Excellence in the category of "Best Website" from the Center for Plain Language. The ClearMark award recognizes government, nonprofits and the commercial sector for overall writing and communication, effective design, and content organization, in addition to the use of plain, understandable language. Energy Kids also was recently named by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) — DC as one of the 50 strongest examples of print, narrative and interactive design produced in the Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia region during the past two years.

About NAGC, AIGA — DC, and the Center for Plain Language

The National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC) is a national not-for-profit professional network of federal, state and local government employees who disseminate information within and outside government. For more information, visit http://www.nagc.com/.
As the professional association for design, AIGA advances design as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force. For more information, visit http://aigadc.org/.
The Center for Plain Language is a non-profit organization located in Washington, DC that wants government and business documents to be clear and understandable. For more information, visit http://www.centerforplainlanguage.org/.

The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA's data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the United States Government. The views in the product and press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the Department of Energy or other Federal agencies.

EIA Press Contact: Jonathan Cogan, 202-586-8719, Jonathan.Cogan@eia.gov

EIA-2010-06