Danya One of 25 Innovators Honored by Daily Record

SILVER SPRING, MD. (July 15, 2002) – Danya International, Inc., a healthcare communications company, was one of 25 Maryland organizations and individuals selected for the Daily Record's 2002 Innovator of the Year awards program. Located in Silver Spring, Danya was recognized for its adolescent smoking-cessation program.

Danya's Adolescent Smoking Cessation Escaping Nicotine and Tobacco (ASCENT) program, developed by clinical psychologists Jeffrey A. Hoffman, PhD, and Susanna Nemes, PhD, was designed to be implemented into school systems to provide students with information about the dangers of smoking and to give them the support and necessary motivation to quit successfully. The multifaceted smoking cessation intervention program, appropriate for youth 14 to 18 years of age, includes a six-session smoking cessation curriculum, an incorporated facilitator's guide, and a teen motivational video entitled The Last Drag.

In its inaugural year, the Daily Record established the Innovator of the Year Awards to recognize Maryland residents and companies who have created products, services, programs, or processes that have positive effects on their businesses, industries, or communities.

The winning innovators were given special recognition in today's edition of the Daily Record and will be honored at a gala awards dinner on September 12 at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. The top "Innovator of the Year" will be chosen from among the 25 at the reception.

About Danya International, Inc.

Danya creates, delivers, and evaluates innovative behavior change strategies that empower people of all ages and from all walks of life to live healthier and better educated lives. The company provides breakthrough services in the areas of public health communication, research and evaluation, information technology, education and training, program management support, and health product development. Founded on the guiding principles of integrity, quality, and creativity, Danya helps its public and private-sector clients to develop research-based tools and campaigns that communicate clear, concise, and effective health messages across all media forms. Founded in 1996, Danya is based in Silver Spring, Maryland. To learn more about the company, visit www.danya.com.