Video Response

My initial reation to the video was that I had mixed feelings about Tech high school. On one hand, it's a good thing to educated high schoolers in technology. This helps students get an understanding of how to use technology to better their situation. With their skills, they are able to go into better technological jobs. They probably have more skills entering their chosen careers then other people who went to a regular high school. It's definitely a good thing that they are being taught about computers and how to use them, because it opens many doors to other forms of communication (social capitol) and information. Because much information is on the internet, including job openings, these students will have resources that they can use to better themselves and their situation. However, I personally would not have liked to attend that high school. I felt that the education seemed very narrow. Of course, the students were trained in technology, but what about the arts, literature, music, or even basic science and math? I feel like the video showed the technical side of the school as being a huge sucess, but I wonder how well-rounded the education at that high school really is. I also felt like the school was a manufacturing line of kids who would immediately step into the business world. What ever happened to exploring options or different subjects to find ones passion? It seemed to me like every person at that high school would have to go into computers. It was slightly disturbing that even at such a young age, they were already working with corporations and business leaders. I think that high school should be the place to explore a variety of subjects, instead of focusing on only one.

The digital divide was very evident in this video. Luisa, coming a Hispanic culture, seemed to have fewer opportunities, than Cedra, who was from a much wealthier community. Cedra in particular had many more advantages. First, she could afford a computer at home. This allowed her to access the internet and work on homework faster and more efficiently than Luisa. In addition, Cedra most likely didn't have to work many hours outside of school just to earn money for basic things. This allowed her more time to study and work on projects. If she needed to, I'm sure she could have accessed the library for more information, since she had the free time to do so.

Luisa is a different story. Luisa, a former gang member, is clearly trying to improve her life. She is a hardworking person, more hardworking than anyone else in the video, in my opinion, however her circumstances are against her. For one thing, working at Long John Silvers for countless hours definitely contributed to her falling behind in school. Since her family didn't have enough money, she had to work around the clock to buy herself a personal computer. Howver, all those hours most definitely took a toll on her schoolwork. Luisa is an example of someone, who to me seems stuck. I believe that she is intelligent and that she could suceed in the business world, however her financial problems keep holding her back.

People like to say that in America, we all get equal opportunites, but this video clearly demonstrates that this isn't the case. Luisa worked just as hard as Cedra in the video, yet she fell behind. I believe its mostly due to her financial status. If someone is born into a poor family, they simply do not have access to the resources that richer children do. Now it is possible to work from the bottom to the top of society, but it is unlikely to happen for most people of low economic status. Less money means more work hours at dead end jobs. More work hours means less time for education and less education generally means less money. It's a cycle that must be broken in order to overcome the digital divide.