"crossing the Divide" response

The movie was very interesting to me because it showed the personal and emotional side of the digital divide, whereas the other articles we've read for class list statistics and numbers, but don't show the real-life struggles and consequences of the digital divide. It shocked me that Luisa had to work for three years to save up for a computer, while the other girl had four computers in her house alone. The idea that Luisa could not get hired and that the other girl went on to a prestigious college further shocked me and made me understand the problems of the digital divide and why it is so important to understand how the divide is created and how it might be possible to "cross the divide". I thought Kep's story was the most promising and hopeful of the video because it showed how someone who is usually left behind in the digital divide, a minority and a n immigrant, can overcome the divide by having access to technology. By having access to technology, Kep was able to receive a good college education, which he could afford due to scholarships. The theme that "technology is the gateway to the economy" stressed the importance of providing teenagers with access to technology and equipping them with the skills needed to survive in the new technology-savvy workplace. Some people in the film advocated schools like New Tech High, but I don't see this as a valid solution to the problem because it is very costly and leaves high schoolers with no room for extra-curriculars, and schools like New Tec don't even offer a library. I think schools like this don't allow kids to become well-rounded individuals, since the students can't develop their interests through extra-curriculars or learn about multiple subjects, they are only immersed in understanding technology. Although technology is important to the future, I don't think it should become the only thing for schools to focus on.