As a 16 year old high school student, I have been watching this issue with interest. My generation, the digital generation, will be living and working in the Information Age. We are wired and ready. The proposed investment in the Fiber For The Future project that's being talked about is an investment in MY future. You see, the decisions that our leaders will make today will effect my tomorrow and my generation's ability to live and work in our hometown.

Much of the discussion has centered on TV and phone service but is that really what this is all about?

For my generation, unlimited broadband access is necessary for young, tech-oriented workers to locate in a community. Connecting to the global stream of information, downloading large files of data and real-time video conferencing allows a remote workforce to tele-commute from Lafayette to companies headquartered thousands of miles away. It is the way that my generation can make their home one day in Lafayette and not have to leave to find opportunity as so many have done before us.

But that's just the beginning. There are incredible new high-bandwidth applications soon to be discovered. Who would have envisioned email, eBay or e-anything just 10 years ago. Things change fast…and in the coming 10 years, even faster.

Just think about the educational applications for students at Comeaux High to video conference with a classroom on the other side of the world. Or think about students from their living rooms accessing the classroom of the future with distance learning applications yet to be discovered. This is all right around the corner and will forever change Lafayette. I support Fiber For The Future and believe it will establish our community as a leader in the new digital economy.

It is an investment in the future...my future.