High-Speed Internet Gives Students A Competitive Advantage research papers and download video and audio clips for projects (NAPSA)—Today’s teens live within a demanding environment where grades and test scores have become increasingly important while the number of available hours for studying have decreased. that would ordinarily take too much time with dial-up service,” said Odalys Melda of North Car- olina. “I'm glad that a companyis finally recognizing that Internet access does matter to my child’s These days, many teens find 50-hour, action-packed weeks a normal part of life—factoring in after-school events, extracurricu- lar activities, part-time jobs, household chores, social activities and homework. Manyexperts believe the situation is getting worse because the number of hours they spend on homework has grown steadily through the years. The number of high school sophomores who spent more than 10 hours a week on homework increased from 7 percent in 1980 to 37 percent in 2002, according to research conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (September 2006). But there is hope for tired, stressed-out students: the Internet. Studies show the Internet has becomea crucial componentin the learning environmentfor teens. Research by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 78 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds go online and that their most common reason for going online was to do schoolwork. Students with high-speed Internet access have an even greater advantage than students with dial-up because they are able to finish their schoolwork quicker. Using high-speed Internet means that students do not have to wait to dial in, their Web pages load more quickly and their system can remain “always on,” which means it’s reliable. jee vee a Many of today’s students find the Internet to be an invaluable resource for homework, research and communication. “My daughters use high-speed Internet every day to help them with everything from research to preparing for the SATs,” said Bill Ussery of North Carolina. “They get their nightly homework done much more quickly, allowing them to participate in other activities such as tennis and dance for a more well-rounded school experience.” Many companiesoffer a variety of high-speed Internet options designed to fit any budget, but EmMBARQ Corporation (NYSE: EQ) goes a step furtherby offering service at a price that stays the same for as long as the customer has the service. Parents can choose the Internet option that best fits their teen’s needs—and keep the same lowprice for as long as they keep their service. “My 13-year-old needs access to high-speed Internet so she can view interactive encyclopedias for education.” Other significant findings from the Pew Internet & American Life Project concerning the Internet and educational use among 12- to 17-year-olds include: 78 percent believe the Internet helps them with schoolwork; 41 percent of online teens said they use e-mail and instant messaging to contact teachers or classmates outside of school; 34 percent have downloaded online study aids; 58 percent report Web sites that were set up specifically for their school or for a particular class; 17 percent have created a Webpagefor a school project; and 94 percent said they use the Internet for school research. EMBARQ has created a premium Web-based packagefor its highspeed Internet customers so that students who frequently use the Internet have an educational resource. Customers who subscribe to the Emparq Learning Pack have access to five of the Web’s most reputable online services for homeworkhelp, test preparation, games and tutorials—Encyclopedia Britannica, Boston Test Prep, Clever Island, Hoopah Kidview and IknowThat.com—for one low price. For more information about the company’s high-speed Internet service, visit www.embarq.com.
