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Tri-City Register
Tri-City Student Council gets involved in
recycling
On March 13, the Tri-City High School Student Council recycled computers, monitors, keyboards
and other obsolete technology, a part of a year-long commitment to recycling.
Workers from ComputerBanc came by in their van to pick up old computers that the technology
department had saved, but haven’t been use for several years. Brian Courtwright, a student who
helped load the equipment although he is not on student council, said he can remember the
school getting some of the computers when he was in third grade. Brian is now a senior.
Assistant Technology Director Ray Hughes was very cooperative in our efforts. He rounded up all
the equipment for us to be recycled.
“We actually had so much to be recyled that the gentleman from ComputerBanc didn’t have
enough room in their van,” said T-C Student Council President Brian Pfeiffer. “So far we have
donated approximately 70 computers or servers, 50 monitors, 15 or so keyboards and several
printers.”
ComputerBanc has already made two trips out to the school and have plans for more pickups.
According to ComputerBanc employees, the computers and other technology items are either
refurbished if they meet certain standards or are stripped down and used for parts to refurbish
other computers. Once the computers are redone, they have educational software installed on
them and are donated back to lower-income families.
According to their Web site, there are many benefits to children that have educational materials
available in their homes. Through the last several years, over 1200 low-income children have
received refurbished computers, including students from the T-C school district.
Alissa Kemp, student council secretary, said that it is pretty awesome that the old computers
found in the closets around the school may someday be benefiting children in a positive way.
“Personally, I think it’s great what ComputerBanc does is great,” she said. “I was glad the student
council could be involved with their program.
“Those computers would have probably just been thrown away within time and I am glad they will
become useful again.”
Angela Harris, from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, was initially invited out to
the school in the fall to help make Tri-City’s recycling dreams a reality.
“She has been a great resource to us in getting our program off and running,” said Pfeiffer.
“Before this year, our district had no recycing program at all for several years.”
The CBE program recycled cans before, but that has been a few years. Recycling computers is
something the council has just recently expanded to, according to Pfeiffer.
“We started recycling aluminum cans in our lunch cafeteria and our teacher’s lounges,” he said.
“Since then, we have also began collecting office paper this semester. As you can imagine, our
school district generates a lot of paper each day that previously was just going to a landfill
somewhere.”
Alayna Westlake, who was elected as the recycling coordinator for the council, says that recyling
is important to kids in our age group.
“As a student council presidential candidate last year, part of my platform was to initate a recyclng
program,” she said. “It’s a good thing because it is important to many kids.
“However, it is more important for those who don’t care about it as much,” she continued.
“Through seeing the recycling process happen and participating in it, I think it will not only educate
them, but make them more likely to recycle at their own homes or when they become adults.”
If members of the community are interested in recycling their old computer equipment, they can
call the school at 364-4381 and ask for Sandy Gooder, student council advisor. They can also e-
mail her at sgooder@tricityschools.org.
recycling
On March 13, the Tri-City High School Student Council recycled computers, monitors, keyboards
and other obsolete technology, a part of a year-long commitment to recycling.
Workers from ComputerBanc came by in their van to pick up old computers that the technology
department had saved, but haven’t been use for several years. Brian Courtwright, a student who
helped load the equipment although he is not on student council, said he can remember the
school getting some of the computers when he was in third grade. Brian is now a senior.
Assistant Technology Director Ray Hughes was very cooperative in our efforts. He rounded up all
the equipment for us to be recycled.
“We actually had so much to be recyled that the gentleman from ComputerBanc didn’t have
enough room in their van,” said T-C Student Council President Brian Pfeiffer. “So far we have
donated approximately 70 computers or servers, 50 monitors, 15 or so keyboards and several
printers.”
ComputerBanc has already made two trips out to the school and have plans for more pickups.
According to ComputerBanc employees, the computers and other technology items are either
refurbished if they meet certain standards or are stripped down and used for parts to refurbish
other computers. Once the computers are redone, they have educational software installed on
them and are donated back to lower-income families.
According to their Web site, there are many benefits to children that have educational materials
available in their homes. Through the last several years, over 1200 low-income children have
received refurbished computers, including students from the T-C school district.
Alissa Kemp, student council secretary, said that it is pretty awesome that the old computers
found in the closets around the school may someday be benefiting children in a positive way.
“Personally, I think it’s great what ComputerBanc does is great,” she said. “I was glad the student
council could be involved with their program.
“Those computers would have probably just been thrown away within time and I am glad they will
become useful again.”
Angela Harris, from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, was initially invited out to
the school in the fall to help make Tri-City’s recycling dreams a reality.
“She has been a great resource to us in getting our program off and running,” said Pfeiffer.
“Before this year, our district had no recycing program at all for several years.”
The CBE program recycled cans before, but that has been a few years. Recycling computers is
something the council has just recently expanded to, according to Pfeiffer.
“We started recycling aluminum cans in our lunch cafeteria and our teacher’s lounges,” he said.
“Since then, we have also began collecting office paper this semester. As you can imagine, our
school district generates a lot of paper each day that previously was just going to a landfill
somewhere.”
Alayna Westlake, who was elected as the recycling coordinator for the council, says that recyling
is important to kids in our age group.
“As a student council presidential candidate last year, part of my platform was to initate a recyclng
program,” she said. “It’s a good thing because it is important to many kids.
“However, it is more important for those who don’t care about it as much,” she continued.
“Through seeing the recycling process happen and participating in it, I think it will not only educate
them, but make them more likely to recycle at their own homes or when they become adults.”
If members of the community are interested in recycling their old computer equipment, they can
call the school at 364-4381 and ask for Sandy Gooder, student council advisor. They can also e-
mail her at sgooder@tricityschools.org.
Issue Date: April 3, 2008