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Published on 06/29/1998 All articles from this issue

Local Web site guru, teen style

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By Linda Taaffe

Town Crier Staff Writer

Playing computer games is all in day's work for 13-year-old Jeremy Taylor who was among the 18 kids nationwide chosen last month to serve as advisor for the kids' Web site, Bonus.com.

As an advisor, it's Jeremy's job to try out computer games and explore new links for the Mountain View-based Web site and report to the site's editors once a month.

Jeremy, a Los Altos resident and seventh grader at Egan Intermediate School, also received a $500 U.S. Savings Bond.

Kim Goeller, public relations manager for Bonus. com, said Jeremy was a top choice for the advisory board because he seemed "creative, original and honest. He told us exactly what he did and didn't like." She said Jeremy was chosen based on his short essay about how he would improve the Web site.

Goeller said the creation of the kids' advisory board will allow children to play an active role online.

In just one month, Jeremy has already swayed editors to add more music and to include pictures of sports heroes to the site. Jeremy said he wants to make the site more suitable for older ages. He said that the site has become more interesting since he's become an advisor.

Jeremy's mother, Candace, said she was "shocked" when she discovered Jeremy had been chosen to serve on the board. "I didn't even know he had (applied)," she said. "I think the site is a real positive thing. It's a great place for kids to work together."

Of the 1,700 activities, games and educational tools on the site, Jeremy said "Battlefield" is his favorite game because he can play against 1,000 other kids at one time.

Jeremy insists he's just a kid "having fun." Playing games is no work at all, he said.

Bonus.com can be accessed at www.bonus.com.