| What do the young people of Humboldt County | | | | While technology and the Internet alone may not |
| do after leaving high school and college? Some | | | | revive an entire community, it can provide a good |
| can't wait to leave, and others want to stay but | | | | income in places where there are few traditional |
| aren't satisfied with the job opportunities, or lack | | | | new jobs. Some good examples are: the GIS |
| thereof, in this place they've known as "home". | | | | expert working from home in Hilo, Hawaii; pack |
| The real question is -- how do they perceive the | | | | goat supplies in Weippe, Idaho; the Tionesta |
| options available: minimum wage retail sales, join a | | | | students selling digital stories; the small ISP in |
| branch of the U.S. Military, the family farm, or just | | | | Imperial, Nebraska; the future Spanish language |
| hanging out with their friends who are in the | | | | institute being formed in Elsa, Texas; and the |
| same situation. | | | | marketing of fine wood products in Orofino, Idaho. |
| Some, through their own entrepreneurial activities, | | | | A lot of us came here to escape citified life, to |
| see options for working from home or for | | | | lose ourselves in a less populated territory. We |
| business opportunities in their own community. | | | | strive to balance old traditions with our perceived |
| Most however, are just glad to have found a | | | | understanding of the world beyond the |
| good job somewhere, and "somewhere" usually | | | | Redwoods. That world is focused on the |
| isn't Humboldt County even though leaving home | | | | technological age. That world is focused on rapid |
| isn't what they really want. | | | | changes. Along with our desire to remain |
| The editor William Vitek says in his essay, | | | | removed from metropolitan mania, the fact is |
| Community And The Virtue Of Necessity, "What | | | | that economics factor into the equation and we |
| keeps a community together is the inability of its | | | | now know that Humboldt County, in order to |
| members to leave, either because of the dangers | | | | survive, must jump on board the technology train |
| that lie outside the community--a forbidding desert | | | | so that people here will be able to participate in |
| or an enemy clan, for example--or the ties that lie | | | | education, economic pursuits . . . . the American |
| within the community--traditions, laws, fear of | | | | way of life, without having to leave home. |
| being cast out, rejected, or destroyed." In recent | | | | Technology development is absolutely crucial to |
| times that has been mitigated (or weakened) by | | | | include in any economic planning. Just as it was |
| technology: automobiles, telephones, outside | | | | unthinkable a century ago to plan for new |
| investments, ties to state and federal assistance | | | | enterprises without considering electricity, 21st |
| programs, but some people do not feel that they | | | | century economies, whether national or village |
| can ever leave and continue a constant cycle of | | | | level, must include networked information |
| struggling with finding a means for economic | | | | technology. It is difficult to imagine how a town, |
| security. | | | | county, company, state, region, can compete |
| For many of Humboldt County's residents, their | | | | against, or work effectively with counterparts |
| identities are heavily intertwined with their | | | | unless they are networked and much of the |
| community. The importance placed on where | | | | populace is conversant with the technologies. |
| they live and what keeps them there (other than | | | | It's been proven that technology changes people's |
| "we can't just move the farm") seems to be the | | | | lives. It lessens a person's isolation, businesses |
| tranquility, the natural beauty, the perceived lack | | | | large and small can be run from home using a |
| of crime, and most importantly, the people and | | | | web server and low cost tools and services |
| relationships. | | | | developed for just such a market, and electronic |
| To prevent the loss of our productive population | | | | tools can help bind groups together in order to |
| and the slow death of many of Humboldt | | | | get a project completed much faster than using |
| County's smaller communities, as we've seen | | | | only the phone and postal mail for communication. |
| happen with all too many, we have an enormous | | | | Doesn't it also stand to reason that advanced |
| responsibility to make this place matter enough | | | | technology brings new business to Humboldt |
| for our young talented people to want to stay or | | | | County, that e-commerce can revitalize "main |
| return after attending college elsewhere. By | | | | street" by increasing small business revenue |
| garnering our connection to the technological age | | | | resulting in lower failure rates, that it will make it |
| and educating our youth about the unlimited | | | | possible for more young people to return home |
| entrepreneurial possibilities technology offers, we | | | | after college, and that it will transform the way |
| provide opportunity and a mechanism for our | | | | we citizens relate to and form our government? |
| youth to succeed. Having a job that makes use | | | | Jill St Claire, Founder |
| of the skills acquired in college would be an | | | | JSC Marketing, LLC |
| important step in keeping them here and luring | | | | 1.888.435. |
| those who've left back home. | | | | |