I studied graphic design at Bradford School in Columbus, Ohio and each class has a portfolio review before they graduate. The review invites industry professionals from around the Columbus (and Ohio) area to take a peak at what the students have been able to come up with. They also vote and judge pieces in a variety of categories.
My site took first place in Web Design and I was ecstatic at the prospect.
I used similar methods that I’ve design other sites before. In this case, I designed the site completely in Adobe Illustrator before moving it into Fireworks and Dreamweaver to make it work.
Method
Adobe Illustrator, Fireworks, Dreamweaver