Alliance for Public Technology - "Broadband Changed My Life!" 2008 Contest Entries

Here are some beautiful broadband stories from our friends at the Alliance for Public Technology.

Thomas William

VP Partner Solutions

Broadband in a Box

1302 Clear Springs Trace

Louisville Kentucky 40223

Direct: (502) 426.2067

Toll Free: (800) 761.9149

Fax: (502) 515.3710

Email: tomw@bbinabox.com
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Broadband Changing Lives Our Favorite "Broadband Changed My Life!" 2008 Contest Entries: Patty Arnold I work with people who are blind or visually impaired, deafblind, and sometimes with other disabilities. Some are homebound, and the internet makes a huge difference for them to feel connected with friends and family, to do various types of research, (including medical), and to buy what they need online. This gives them more control over their lives, and they are not as dependent on others, something very important to them. In addition I know colleagues with a visual disability who use broadband internet in their work, to be competitive. One of my students, a quadraplegic with a visual impairment completed his PhD and got a job this way. To do these tasks with dial-up would not work, because of the slow speed with today's advanced feature websites. With Broadband and the correct assistive technology to make the computer talk, use large print, or accept voice input, the sky is the limit! For these reasons I believe it is vital for broadband to be widely available to all, for equality for all. Kierstan Ball Almost two years ago I was diagnosed with dysautonomia. This disorder is very unknown in the medical world, and it is very difficult to treat because the symptoms are so varied and there is no cure. Without going into all the specifics, there are a few symptoms that make attending school extremely difficult. The extreme fatigue makes a lot of patients bedridden, and the brain fog that accompanies the disorder can make it very difficult to concentrate. At one point, I was no longer able to finish my undergraduate studies because I didn't have enough energy to attend classes. Broadband internet was my answer. I was able to finish all the pre-requisites for graduate school by taking online courses. Broadband also allowed me to communicate with others around the world who suffer from the same disorder. Having that online support was the only thing that helped me to accept my disorder, and allowed me to move on and not let the disorder take over my life. I am lucky in that I have found a medication that alleviates enough of my fatigue that I can now make it to classes. It's still a daily struggle, but I have constant support from my online family. Without broadband, I would not be enrolled in physician assistant school working towards my masters degree so that I can one day help others like myself who are diagnosed with difficult disorders. Broadband saved my life and my dreams, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities it has given me. Natassja Bates Broadband internet made a powerful impact on my life during my undergraduate internship at a Center for Independent Living, where I worked with individuals who were deaf to aid them in attaining web cameras to facilitate more effective communication. Prior to my internship, I did not own a computer, and only utilized the Internet at the school computer lab to conduct research for school papers and projects. Realizing the power of the Internet and how technology could be used to bring people together in new and different ways was a significant part of my work with the deaf and hard of hearing community during that internship. That experience has influenced me to pursue my graduate degree in rehabilitation counseling, where I?m learning how to work with clients with disabilities to teach them, among other things, to use technology in general and the Internet in particular, as a tool to procure employment, maintain social connections with friends and family members, and become self-advocates through online support groups. I know that the Internet has not only changed my life in this particular way, but also those of countless other individuals, and I'm sure that as technology develops and continues to become even more sophisticated, more lives will be impacted for the better. Rhonda Browning As I type on a computer given to me by the brother of a nurse I met at the Red Cross shelter in Hattiesburg Mississippi following Katrina, I think often of how different my life would be without this conglomeration of several brands of technology and that little wire coming out of my bedroom wall that has been resoldered several times and replaced twice thanks to the pointed teeth of a busy pet rabbit. When my computer arrived at my FEMA trailer in Vidalia Louisiana I, at first, could not afford Internet or phone lines, but I used it, typing a charter for a New Orleans school and slipping the disk into a connected machine at the local library to email my contributions to my co-writers. But once I got my money from FEMA, I did something rather remarkable, even for me, always an independent spirit. My mind had been numbed by the stresses of the previous months. I needed intellectual stimulation and the 10 or so hours a week surfing and e-mailing on the library computers were not enough. So I hooked my computer up to Broadband and went back to school. This might not seem so odd until you consider that I was in a FEMA trailer, nowhere near a college with graduate level programs, 56 years old, had not attended college in over 20 years, and was going with technology that did not exist when I typed my Masters Degree papers on an IBM Correcting Selectric. I am getting an Ed.S in Instructional Leadership and Educational Technology entirely online. I attend Northwestern State University in Natchitoches Louisiana. It is a whole new area of education for me, an educator of children with severe disabilities and it is challenging. Thanks to Broadband I can go online and read my lectures, use Blackboard to discuss with classmates, write and submit essays and term papers, look for more resources and contact my professor, all while 150 miles away from the school. I can go on line at 2AM or 6PM. I can write an entire term paper using only online resources, both from educational journals and from the ERIC database in the Watson Library at Northwestern State. I don't have to worry about parking or dinner and I was back online only a few days after I had cancer surgery. When I got my Masters in 1983 I wanted to go on and get my Ed.S and my Leadership certificate, but I had found going to school as much as 4 nights a week and working full time very difficult even in my youth. At this point it would have been impossible. But going online takes only perseverance, school loans and a computer with Broadband. Putting my life back together and learning things that did not even exist 20 years ago has given me a life is challenging and satisfying again and I no longer have that numbness that often accompanies a major life crisis. I never want to be without my Internet. Adrienne Chamberlin Ten years ago I moved back into my parent's home to recover from brain tumor surgery. That's when we got our first computer with Internet access. At graduate school I'd had access to computers, but the university email system was all I used or needed. I took my research from books and literary journals, and had no real dependence on the web. I'd never heard of "Googling" anything. But at home, unable to get out on my own, I was very isolated from both childhood friends who'd moved away, and grad school friends whose lives were very different and hours away from mine. The huge impact the Internet had for me was 24-hour contact with everybody. A quick email was much easier than a phone call and more immediate than a letter. My doctors could consult with each other about my tests via email and I could have their opinions, often without traveling long distances to be seen quickly in person (cutting down somewhat on my medical costs, and their time). Years have gone on, and I am still at home for the time being, dealing with various tumor relapses and problems. I use the expanding Internet more than ever. I write short biographies for a portrait artist (whose work travels around the country), and the ability to do research (and contact the subjects themselves) would be impossible for me to do outside of home. The web impacts me by literally enabling me to carve out a very small niche in the world of writers. Online, my love of knitting and reading, rather than being solitary activities, opened up for me with an explosion of blogs, crafting communities, charity groups (where I am increasing my computer skills by moderating some of them), and friendships with good people I doubt I will ever meet in person. My life would be so insular right now without the Internet, and I would ask the new President to consider being certain high speed access is available to everyone. Many of us live in rural areas, but we are by no means unaware of the world around us, and we need to be able to participate in it fully. Dialup is most certainly better than no access at all, but in the world to come - it just won't be enough. Thank you! Briana Floyd I along with my other college-aged peers serve as today's pre-professionals and tomorrow's innovators. Our future careers will ultimately determine the direction every job industry in America will take over the next few decades. Therefore, it should be duly noted that my generation has been deemed the most tech-savvy of its time, a trait that serves as a key indicator of the direction in which society is heading. That being said, it is vital that attention be directed to how the United States equips its citizens technologically in order to stay ahead in a competitive global market. The move towards a digital world cannot be thwarted. The advantages of traditional processes becoming computerized are innumerable. The lack of competitive broadband services available to United States inhabitants creates a narrower job market and also denies anyone without exceptional broadband service and updated technology of all the benefits and opportunities these tools have the potential to provide. Perhaps this point could be best illustrated with examples from my very own personal experiences in how broadband has changed my life. As an African-American female, setting my goal of becoming an engineer was an ambitious move in a field still dominated by men and also lacking significantly in minorities. I understood completely that I would have two stigmas to foil in pursuing my career goals as an undergraduate. I also understood that I would have to lay my foundation in exceptional science and math curricula from an early point in my education to make my dream a reality. I was fortunate enough to get accepted into a Science and Technology program at a high school in my county freshman year. The trip via bus was an hour to and fro, but I was delighted, however, to arrive my first day to discover a computer in every classroom, a library fully stocked with interactive learning modules, lecture halls with state-of-the art projection systems and movie screens instead of chalkboards. The experiences I had as a high school student opened up so many doors of opportunity for me that might not have otherwise been within the scope of my wildest imaginings. Most importantly, I was able to fulfill my entitlement to a well-rounded education that made my career goals a tangible possibility. The high school also had a huge student body, approximately 3,000 students, of which the majority was minorities. I was attending a school that was largely African-American but still enjoying the amenities typical of the charter, private and college-preparatory schools of high income areas that usually have lower minority populations. It is only with sufficient broadband networking that institutions of learning such as the one I was privileged to attend are able to thrive. I genuinely do feel like so much of the opportunity that I received as an undergraduate accepted to an Ivy League institution was directly related to the unique curriculum my high school was able to develop around technology. The resources available to me then were able to bridge the gap and make me as qualified, if not more, than my college peers. I often stop to reflect on where so many of my high school peers are now as a result of the education we received. As our undergraduate careers come to a close, many of my fellow high school alums have job offers for prestigious engineering firms and will have starting salaries that easily are greater than those of the low-income two parent households of their childhoods, or in my situation, the one-parent household relying on a meager teacher's salary. The implications of good broadband networks are too advantageous to be discounted. Had the Science and Technology program not existed, my high school would have been just another institution busing in kids from urban complexes and many of us would continue to achieve below our peers in environments with greater resources, not because we are incapable, but because we are underserved. Christina Joseph During the middle of winter, deep in rural Oklahoma far from any Wal-mart or familiar face, I prayed to Jesus and I cried for help. My three small children and I were physically abused, ashamed, and scared. I contacted counselors, family, and friends, through my wireless internet connection. I realized that I could get to a safe place; that we didn't have to suffer and live in fear any more. I was able to reach out and get help through the computer to people who cared about us. I thank God for the wireless Internet; it was literally a life line. We left with only what we could carry. No car, no money, only a hand full of hope. When we arrived at the women's shelter, I was glad to be safe. Unfortunately, there was no internet service. Therefore, I was limited in my ability to contact family members. Once we arrived in Florida to live with my family I had wireless Internet at my finger tips again. I was able to look for a job that allowed my children to come with me to work. I happily accepted that job. I became connected with government benefits. I was able to research domestic violence, and contact local women shelters that offered, and gave support. After three months I applied for college, the Pell grant, and other scholarships all using my wireless connection. I am even taking half my classes online. I?m grateful that our lives have changed for the better since those dark days in Oklahoma. Broad band has been a tool in my hand to help me better myself for society, and bring my children to a safe place. My prayer was answered, my cry was heard and broad band was a part of that. Christina May Mr. President, Broadband not only changed my life, but enhanced it. A few years back I decided to become an In-Home Personal Care Assistant for a disabled woman with Muscular Dystrophy. At twenty-six and forty ponds, her mobility was limited to just her wrist, forefinger and her mouth. She didn't let that stop her one bit. She moved out on her own, hired me, and became the first in our state with MD to become as independent as she is. And, being the highly intelligent and motivated individual she was, she used what little mobility she had to start her own personal business. Using me as her partner, we'd work together using our computers to create logos, fliers, advertisements, business cards, and web pages for the common consumer. She, the graphic designer, and I, the coder, were able to create a number of wonderful products. Without broadband being our gateway to internet, we wouldn't have been able to quickly upload and download the necessary files and programs that allows for a business like ours to run productively. Having broadband allowed us to communicate with our customers rather quickly via web cam, VOIP and the various instant messengers that are available. This made our business successful and a disabled woman feel more like a productive member of society. I would never trade this experience for anything. We both walked away from our time together with broadband more experienced and connected with the world around us. Mr. President, broadband has truly changed my life, and the life of my most amazing friend. Joanna Romanyshyn There are many reasons why students on a college campus don't call the rescue squad EMTs when they should: "it's too expensive", "I don't want to get in trouble", "I'm not sure if my injury is serious enough", and the list goes on and on. All around the country, these misunderstandings prevent students from getting treatment when they need it, and causes unnecessary permanent damage and in the worst cases, death. When I was elected Public Information Officer of my university's rescue squad, my first line of action was to address these concerns. But how do we get the information out there in a way that students will actually read it (and for cheap, we're a volunteer squad after all). The answer was simple- why not utilize an extremely popular program already instituted by the university? Broadband internet. Between blogging, Facebook, and checking their e-mail, students spend a considerable amount of time online. Broadband internet has revolutionized the way we obtain information. With websites appearing on our screens at such high speeds, it's no longer a pain to go online and explore all the information available. Our rescue agency had a website already, but it was old and very out of date. I worked with a web designer to give the website a facelift by using modern color schemes, posting current information, and adding new applications. Not only would students find information telling them our rescue services were free, but also about common health problems afflicting students today and how they can gain valuable experience by joining the agency. The final step, we handed out a flyer to all campus residents about our agency, directing them to the website to have all their questions answered. The results were better than I could ever have anticipated. Almost immediately, we began to receive more requests for our standby presence at sporting events and fundraisers as well as invitations to come present about our organization at programs in residence halls and fraternity houses. Over the next few months, we noticed an increased call volume by 33% compared to the previous year. We also began receiving twice as many applications, over half of which were online. The website's success was, without doubt, a direct result of broadband internet. If the university provided slow, or even no, internet services we never could have accomplished this project. So as you can see, broadband internet not only changed my life and that of the community, but also has the potential to save lives. Kyle V. Young I was born perhaps five decades after our fabled "hay-day" when Gary, now considered of the nation's most failed cities, was an educational powerhouse. Business flourished unconditionally and the steel industry employed a solid majority of the residents of not only Gary but Lake County and Illinois' Cook and Will counties. However, during the mid 1960s, there was a devastating "white-flight" that took place. The towns surrounding Gary weathered somewhat admirably but the fortunes of Gary and another city, Hammond, were greatly altered for the worst. The broadband boom of the new millennium greatly gave us our dreams and ambitions back. It aided in stabilizing equality between the rich and poor and the various ethnicities that dwell here. It has altered how we've behaved in politics; much of the populace here of northernmost Indiana is profoundly democratic; preferring higher taxation as a means to regulate and control business wherein lies the means for better funding of public services that have led to greater output from all levels of society. Students on all levels have been greatly aided by the coming of broadband. Homework that use to take hours on end can be done within minutes while schools have built computer labs some as big as 15000 sq. ft. to aide students who might not have computers at home. They also can more readily rely on each other and teachers for support. Employees have been able to achieve greater quality jobs, the earnings of which then help to supplement their families and communities rather then each single family struggling alone. Region hospitals routinely save 50,000 lives per year thanks the broadband boom better technology. Several here have enjoyed a near total immunization from illnesses that ounce devastated populations. It is because of all this, that I could never permanently leave "the Region". All entries are posted as submitted to APT through the Broadband Changed My Life! contest. APT makes no claim and is not responsible for authenticity, accuracy, or originality of submitted content. [source]