A hundred years ago, the refrain heard around the state of Alaska, and around the world, was, "There's gold in them hills!" Thousands flocked here to stake their claims and get rich. Well, there may not be gold in them hills in any longer, but there's certainly gold in them fiber optic cables, so it's important that we all learn how to use the necessary tools to become successful Internet "miners"!
I decided to have my students start emailing and blogging this year because, as a seasonal small-business owner in Alaska, I know that success or failure hinges on my ability to respond promptly and succinctly to email inquiries, and represent my business online. If you'd like to check out my business web page, go to www.wildsalmonfishing.com .
Often I've heard the complaint that there just aren't enough opportunities for young Alaskans who want to remain in-state after graduation. However, the opportunities for Alaskans to make a living, or at least contribute to their livelihood, through the Internet, are abundant.
Living in Alaska, we have the ability to provide services and web-content unavailable anywhere else in the world. Whether we're selling kayak tours or fishing trips, maintaining a blog about spawning salmon or unique volcanic fields, our individual Alaskan experiences are a natural (and renewable) resource just waiting to be tapped!
Blogs represent a money-making opportunity in their own right. Though you need to be 18 to be eligible for making money through your blog, or at least need to collaborate with an adult guardian to do so, preparing for that opportunity can start right now, with the blog you make for class. So consider what your special talents or interests are, and use your blog as a way of getting them out there, and creating an opportunity for yourself. Heck, lots of people make money for doing nothing but writing book reviews on their blogs! Don't believe me? Check out this article about how bloggers make money, http://www.slate.com/id/2201325/ .
There's still gold in them hills, but these days, instead of using picks and shovels, we use the Internet! Get digging!
Image from www.geomerchant.com
