I grew up in a town of less than 10,000 people. We are a ski resort community who’s economic drive is tourism. The town is relatively racially homogenous. I had a rather privileged childhood in this town.

Despite Colorado being ranked 49th in education funding, our public schools had computers everywhere and required computer education classes from elementary school through high school. I had a Mac computer in my room from the time I was in third grade. I got new ones approximately every three years and got a laptop when I was a Junior in high school. I recall using Wikipedia and google to supplement my education from the time I was in third grade. I remember spending hours looking at various Wikipedia articles simply because I could. I took this for granted. I didn’t realize until I was in high school that not all students had this advantage.

I don’t know what I would have done without an internet connection and a computer growing up. If I was subjected to using the school’s computers or the library’s I would not have been as motivated growing up. A computer was as vital an instrument in my education as a classroom. The amount of research a computer provided me was unsurmountable. It has brought me to the determination that digital media literacy is a vital part of getting ahead in the contemporary world. Education is the source by which our future leaders will be created. Therefore, the employment of effective technology is a mandatory factor in the development of our society as a whole.