| When Jenny was 12 her parents went through a | | | | dropped before she could ever connect. She |
| rough divorce. She and her sister were strong and | | | | was often times unable to connect and get |
| prevailed through it, but now they spent most of | | | | information for her assignments or submit her |
| their time living with their mother as part of the | | | | nightly homework. Very quickly it became very |
| divorce settlement. Their father had moved away | | | | frustrating for Jenny because her teachers |
| from their hometown of Hillsborough, New | | | | thought she was just making an excuse. |
| Hampshire, and they didn't see him often. He was | | | | The world was changing quite drastically and the |
| good about paying the child support, and he and | | | | school really demanded that the students submit |
| Jenny's mom paid for her to attend a private | | | | their work via the internet because it was much |
| boarding and day school that was about thirty | | | | easier for the teachers to keep everything |
| minutes from home. The school had an excellent | | | | organized. It also ensured the dormitory students |
| reputation nationwide, and would be beneficial for | | | | would have their work in on time because the |
| her to attend, so they both agreed to put up the | | | | deadline was for submission was before their |
| extra money and send her there. | | | | lights out time. This way they would control the |
| While a majority of the school, located in Concord, | | | | dorm students from goofing off and staying up |
| NH, consisted mostly of boarding students, there | | | | late at night to try and finish work they hadn't |
| was a small group of teenagers like Jenny who | | | | done during study hall. Some of Jenny's teachers |
| would travel daily from their home to attend the | | | | were accepting because they knew she was a |
| school. There was not much animosity between | | | | day student, but a couple of them were very |
| the boarding students and the day students, so | | | | annoying and it became embarrassing for her. |
| everyone had a relatively good time at the school. | | | | She was surfing the web at the library one |
| As a day student, Jenny was allowed to eat all | | | | afternoon when she discovered a high speed |
| her meals at the school, but often chose to go | | | | internet that would be available at her house. She |
| home for dinner because her mom had to get up | | | | had not had any luck with the cable companies |
| early in the morning for work. This started to be | | | | and the telephone company didn't offer DSL |
| an inconvenience because Jenny needed | | | | where she lived, so she was super excited when |
| high-speed internet to do a lot of her school work. | | | | she found satellite broadband internet that was |
| The school was outfitted with its very own | | | | available at her Hillsborough home. After a little |
| high-speed broadband network, so the students | | | | pleading with her mother, she was able to |
| email accounts were run through a special | | | | convince her to get a subscription. After that she |
| program that was also a forum for information | | | | was able to access the school network with ease |
| regarding schoolwork, sports, and other various | | | | and she was finally able to prove to those |
| activities. At home she only had dial-up internet | | | | doubters, that she always had her work finished |
| access and many times the connection would be | | | | on time. |