2011 Minnesota Computers for Schools
2011 Annual Report
About MCFS “All students deserve equal access to the technology necessary to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence required for success in school, the community and the workforce.” –Tamara Gillard, Executive Director, Minnesota Computers for Schools Minnesota Computers for Schools (MCFS) refurbishes and customizes computers donated from businesses and places them in schools and educational nonprofit organizations throughout the state for a nominal fee, providing students with increased access to technology.
Mission
Lifecycle of Donated Equipment
Lifecycle of donated equipment Minnesota Computers for Schools provides technology access for lifelong learning.
COMPUTERS DONATED
UNUSED PARTS RECYCLED
EQUIPMENT CUSTOMIZED AND PLACED IN SCHOOLS
DATA SCRUBBED
REFURBISHED BY INMATES
A Letter from the Executive Director & Board Chair
Technology. Access. Impact. Today, the price of not having access to technology is much higher than it was just five years ago. Today, not having access is a reason some students struggle in school and can’t find work – leaving them feeling defeated and left behind. Teachers understand the importance of providing their students with access to technology in the classroom, which is why 2011 was our busiest year since the organization’s founding in 1997. In 2011, MCFS placed 3,707 computers in schools and educational nonprofit organizations across the state – our highest number yet. This is good news and bad news – the good news is we’ve provided 295,000 students with increased access to technology. The bad news is that now, more than ever, schools need access to affordable technology. The demand is high and we need your help. We have a long list of schools waiting for computers and the only thing preventing MCFS from supporting the success of more students throughout Minnesota is the supply of donated computers. The work we do would not be possible without our generous donors, contributors and supporters. Because of your dedication to our mission to provide technology access for lifelong learning, we are able to transform the lives of thousands of students each year. We look forward to continuing our work together in the years to come to help close the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not. There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon at MCFS so be sure to stay in touch throughout the year – you can sign up for our e-newsletter or follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn.
Sincerely,
Tamara Gillard Executive Director
Steven Bartholet Board Chair
Coming Up: R2 Certification
We want to do our best to protect the environment, that’s why we have a no landfill policy. This year, we’re taking it even further. We’re in the process of obtaining our R2 certification – a leading standard for the electronics recycling industry. R2 requires e-recyclers to assure that all focus materials (those that are part of the toxic material stream) are managed safely and responsibly and prohibits e-recyclers from exporting toxic materials to countries that have enacted laws making their import illegal. MCFS has always followed these regulations and in a few months, we’ll have the certification to prove it.
Recycling by the numbers Total Weight: 312,947 lbs.
CRT’s Stretch Wrap-Baled
Low Grade Boards High Grade Boards Wires
Colored Plastic-Baled CD & Floppy Drives Hard Drives Shredded Hard Drives Aluminum White Plastic-Baled
#2 Copper Fans Toner Cart.
Metal-Baled
Power Adaptors Transformers Keyboard Circuit Boards Laptop Batteries
2011 Equipment Donors Acorn Media AECOM All Saints Catholic Church Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis Atwater Cosmos Grove City Public Schools Augsburg College Avalon Charter School Bender-Kelner Wills Trusts & Estates Blue Cross/Blue Shield Blue Sky Charter School Central Public Schools Christ Lutheran School City Academy City of Blaine City of Bloomington City of Ham Lake City of Shoreview City of Woodbury CLAM Corporaton Comfrey Public School Community of Peace Academy Consolidated Lumber Education Minnesota Edvisions ESP IT Professionals Federal Bureau of Investigation Fertile-Beltrami Public Schools First Impressions First State Bank Forest Lake ISD 831 Frost Byte, Inc. General Dynamics Information Systems Girl Scouts Great River Energy Greatbatch Hennepin County Herman-Norcross Community School District High Tech Kids - INSCITE Holstein Law Group Holy Trinity High School Immunization Action Coalition
James Kroesch & Associates Jason Davis & Associates Jordan Area Community Council Land O’Lakes Lerner Publishing Macro Group MediMedia MEDTOX Scientific, Inc. Midwest Special Services Minnesota Department of Health Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry MN Department of Corrections National Guard New Heights Charter School Ortonville Public School District Pace Analytical Prometric Rice Memorial Hospital Salem Lutheran Church/School South Washington School District St. Casimir’s School St. Charles Bormeo School St. Mary’s Jr./Sr. High School St. Paul City Schools St. Paul Youth Services St. Peter Public Schools Steve Bartholet Swan River Charter School TECH CORPS Thomson Reuters Three Rivers Park District TNT Computers Transfiguration Catholic School U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Department of Labor United States Secret Service USDA/ITS Voyageurs Expeditionary High School White Bear Glass Willard Network Technologies, LLC
Br i d g i n g t h e D i v i d e :
Bringing Technolo
76%
of students completed the recycling program
93%
of students completed the refurbishing program
62%
of students completed both programs
4 65 200
students went to college to continue their technology education after completing the GAP program computers were placed in GAP classrooms computers were recycled by students
gy Access and Job Skills to Disadvantaged Youth
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“We’re living in a society that uses technology daily. If you don’t know how you use it, you’re going to be left behind.” - Kate Medd, IC3
As society becomes more and more dependent on technology, so do companies. Today, it’s nearly impossible to gain employment without knowing basic computer skills – whether you’re a mechanic, a business executive or a chef – technology skills are a must.
Unfortunately, the high cost of technology deepens the economic divide between today’s youth. As a result of the expense associated with technology, disadvantaged youth typically don’t have the computer skills that are crucial to success in school and the workforce. In 2010, MCFS piloted a program at Guadalupe Alternative Program School (GAP) in St. Paul, Minnesota – a school that provides education to underserved youth who have not been successful in traditional education settings. The program aims to provide GAP students with the technology skills necessary to secure stable employment in the technology field. The curriculum, which uses the same Microsoft® certified training program MCFS has successfully implemented at the Stillwater Correctional Facility, teaches students basic computer skills and computer recycling and refurbishing – skills that are becoming increasingly important in today’s economy and can lead to a job after graduation. Together, with support from local businesses including Bigelow Foundation, St. Paul Foundation, Donaldson Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation and Otto Bremer Foundation, MCFS and GAP provide computer skills to a group of students who don’t typically have access to technology and often get left behind.
2011 By the numbers
114 schools served; 15 new school customers and 3 new school districts
3,707 computers placed in schools; 295,000
students were given increased access to computers
14 children with special needs and 2 special education departments were provided technology
112 inmates at Stillwater Correctional Facility learned transferable, on-the-job technology skills
21 students received computer recycling and refurbishing skills through the MCFS workforce training project at Guadalupe Alternative Program School
More than 3,700 computer units were refurbished instead of being destroyed
312,947 pounds of computer waste was recycled and not put into landfills
2011 Contributors
REVENUE Product Sales
$627,714.73
Cash Contributions
$252,609.92
Interest
$1,228.11
Scrap
$84,498.27
TOTAL
$966,051.03
EXPENSES Staff
$531,435.32
Components
$135,680.41
Inmate Wages
$29,386.82
Transportation
$22,022.23
Marketing & Travel
$28,029.26
Rent
$10,000.00
TOTAL
$756,554.04
The MCFS audited financials and IRS Form 990 for 2011 are available upon request. To request these financial records, please contact MCFS at 651.779.2816
3M Foundation, Inc. Alan Keller Fred C. & Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Archie D. & Bertha H. Walker Foundation Barbara Westgard F.R. Bigelow Foundation Bonnie Vagasky Cheryl Moeller Dave Scheffler Donaldson Foundation Douglas Swenson Ecolab Foundation Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation First Evangelical Lutheran Schools Goodrich Sensors and Integrated Systems James Afdahl Kim Sebesta Land O’Lakes Growing Green Team Medtronic Foundation Minnesota High Tech Association Michael Linnemann Michelle Smith Otto Bremer Foundation The Pentair Foundation The Saint Paul Foundation Steve Willems Tracy Morgan The Travelers Foundation Uline Walmart #1861 H.E. & Helen R. Warren Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation
B o osti n g Atte n dance and Gordon Parks High School (GPHS), an Alternative Learning Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, serves students who are disengaged from school. Many of the students, who tend to be from low-income families, don’t have access to reliable technology outside of school – making it difficult for them to complete schoolwork and apply for jobs. GPHS wanted to send a strong message of support to students and their parents. To do this, Paul Creager, Curriculum and Media Arts Coordinator, implemented a program to reward students for positive behavior by giving those who maintained 80% attendance during a nine-week period a chance to win a laptop.
80%
Thanks to our invaluable partners 3M Foundation, Microsoft, and The Travelers Foundation, MCFS donated 20 laptops to be awarded to students who maintained 80% attendance or higher for nine weeks.
For many of these students, this was the first computer they had ever owned and they had big plans for using them – applying for college, completing schoolwork and finding employment.
e n gageme n t w ith tec h no lo gy
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“Now I’m starting to come to school every day so I can graduate and my grades are getting better,” said one student who won a laptop. When asked how she was going to use the laptop, her answer was simple, “For college.”
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“Since I started coming to this school, I decided that maybe I need my education and I should stay in school.”
Students who earned a laptop inspired their peers to strive for excellence – in the fall of 2011, the number of students who qualified for a laptop doubled from the previous semester and more students are showing up on a regular basis because they also want to earn a laptop.
Conn ecti n g St u dents wit h
In 2002, Minneapolis Public Schools implemented a program called Check and Connect in its high schools to help disengaged students succeed in school. The program focuses on students who are failing classes, getting into trouble and who need extra support in order to graduate. The Check and Connect mentors at Washburn High School, Mike Hastert and Jenna Otten, each have a caseload of 40 students who are in danger of not graduating from high school. Many teachers are requiring students to use computers to type papers, do research and turn in homework via email. Unfortunately, many of the students involved in the Check and Connect program don’t have access to computers at home, presenting yet another barrier to success in school. Mike and Jenna turned to MCFS to help provide affordable, high-quality laptops for their students.
M e n to rs a n d T echno lo gy
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With generous support from The Travelers Foundation, MCFS donated 10 computers to the Check and Connect program at Washburn High School. The students can use the computers while in the Check and Connect room, or they can check them out to use for their schoolwork outside of class.
Check and Connect not only provides students with a mentor to provide encouragement and guidance throughout the year, but the program gives students access to the technology necessary to develop invaluable skills that will help them succeed in school.
2011 Schools Ada-Borup School District Albert Lea Public School District American Indian OIC Ashby Public School Atwater Cosmos Grove City Public Schools Augsburg Fairview Academy Battle Lake School District Benson Public School Benton Stearns Education District Bluffview Montessori School BOLD Public Schools Breckenridge Public School Central Public Schools Chandler Christian School Chisago Lakes School District Christ Community Lutheran School Christ Lutheran School Circle of Nations School Comfrey Public School Community of Peace Academy Community School of Excellence Crosslake Community School Crown of Life Lutheran School Cyber Village Academy Discovery Charter School Dugsi Academy East Grand Forks Area Special Education Coop Excell Academy for Higher Learning First Ev. Lutheran School Foley Public School District Forest Lake ISD 831 Garlough Elementary School Gordon Parks High School Grand Meadow Guadalupe Alternative Program Harbor City International School Haven School Herman-Norcross Community School District Higher Ground Academy Highview Alternative Program Holy Cross Catholic School
Holy Family Catholic School Holy Trinity High School Humboldt High School Immanuel Luthern School/Gaylord John Ireland Catholic School Kaleidoscope Charter School Lake Superior High School Lanesboro Public Schools LaPorte School District LeRoy-Ostrander Public Schools Lincoln HI - Ivanhoe Lino Lakes Elementary Lyle School District Maccray Schools Main Street School of Performing Arts Marquette School Marshall School Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School Nay Ah Shing Upper School New Heights Charter School New London-Spicer School District Norman County East School District Norman County West School District Northwestern College Nova Classical Academy Odyssey Academy Onamia Public Schools Ortonville Public School District PACT Charter School Pierz ISD 484 Queen of Peace School Red Lake Falls Public Schools Roosevelt High School Rothsay School District Sacred Heart School/Waseca Salem Lutheran Church/School Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools South Washington School District Southland School District St. Alphonsus Parish School
Board of Directors Steven Bartholet Chair St. Anastasia School St. Anne School St. Casimir’s School St. James Lutheran School St. James School St. Jerome Catholic School St. John the Baptist St. John the Baptist/Excelsior St. John’s School/Duluth St. Joseph’s School/GR St. Mary’s Catholic School/Madelia St. Paul City School St. Paul School District St. Paul’s Lutheran School/Fairmont St. Peter Public Schools St. Peter’s School St. Philip’s School St. Pius X Catholic School St. Raphael School-Springfield St. Thomas School Swan River Charter School Tatanka Academy The Emily O.Goodridge-Grey Acc. Charter School Transfiguration Catholic School Trinity First Lutheran School Trinity Lutheran School/Janesville Urban Academy Charter School Volunteers of America Phoenix High School Voyageurs Expeditionary High School Wabasso Public Schools Washburn High School Winona Public School District Yinghua Academy
Eric Vercauteren Vice Chair Doug Swenson Treasurer Mary Mehsikomer Secretary
Directors Dave Scheffler Steve Dess Mike Linnemann Karen Black Gregg Dorazio Steven Willems
MCFS STAFF Tamara Gillard Executive Director Neal Lewis Director of Operations and Customer Services Brian Beaupre Production & Tech Support Manager/Webmaster Jim Christiansen Sales and Marketing Chris Dopkins Business Manager Tom Tieman Production Manager Jim Thirsten Inventory Manger Dave Kanipes Intake Manager
970 Pickett St. North Bayport, MN 55003 651-779-2816 | www.mncfs.org Our paper is recycled, containing post-consumer waste.