AUGUST 1 is a special day for anyone who knows about the Internet. This is a global celebration dedicated to web browsing, which brings the whole world to your fingertips. With the power of today’s computing, it’s extremely easy to learn about something and bask in its knowledge. Whenever in doubt of anything, use the world’s leading search tool Google that gets over 40,000 search queries every second – that’s 3.5 billion searches per day!

At Peace Welcome Club, we are celebrating World Wide Web Day by thanking the Internet for giving us the opportunity to broaden our message to the community through the means of Facebook. Without it, we would not have reached as many likes as we have achieved today as well as not be able to reach out to as many people we have as well. Our goal on Facebook for the people who have liked our Facebook page is to have them share one fact about the Internet that has affected us all in a positive manner.

The Internet does have its pros as well as its cons. I am usually the type of person that likes to hear the good news last rather than first to keep me in a cheery mood. So here is the bad news first. With the founding of the Internet, studies have shown that teenagers as well as young adults spend less time outside and more inside interacting with various friends digitally. However, the Internet has the ability for you to express your thoughts and values the way you want where no one can put a stop to it. It’s like a friend that’s always there for you whenever you need to spread awareness on an issue that’s been bothering you.

I have written many articles and without the Internet I am not quite sure if I would have been able to get myself recognized at all. It’s a competitive world out there and as a teenager, it makes you realize how hard it can be to get something published that you have worked countless hours on.

The Internet is not a place to just hangout and have fun but one where you can create the change that you want to see in the world whether you’re interested in animal rights, environmental awareness or the ongoing problem of poverty. Start the change by creating a blog, a Facebook page, a twitter hub or even your own website to raise awareness on an issue that has been bothering you. There is nothing better in the world than someone recognizing your efforts that you make to raise awareness on something because believe me it’s hard.

The Internet offers us many opportunities and whatever pathway we wound up going down depends on the results that we achieve.

So, on August 1 show your appreciation for the World Wide Web.

– BY HARNOOR GILL

Grade 10 student

Christ The King Catholic Secondary

Georgetown, Ontario