TULSA, Okla. — As changes in technology rapidly move forward, federal employees are finding ways to help build a sustainable future that is filled with technological opportunities for coming generations.
Two Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees seized the chance to make a difference in the lives of students throughout schools in their area. Through a "computers for learning" program, property disposal officer Reed Easter and regulatory specialist Marcus Ware donate used Corps equipment to local schools, creating a better tomorrow by giving students the tools they need today.
"I've got one of the best jobs in the world," Easter said, as he reflected on his rewarding experience with the Corps in the last year. "They pay me to give away stuff. You can hardly beat that."
By cultivating relationships with different educational administrators, Easter donated 464 different pieces of used information technology equipment to school districts in Oklahoma and Missouri. Ranging from laptops to PCs and printers, he has supplied high-quality resources to those who could not otherwise afford them.
Allowing these mostly small school systems to gain access to these resources greatly improves the quality of education that their students receive, enriching their experience and giving them powerful opportunities for the future.
Easter explained the simple process that the donated equipment undergoes. The hard drives of the computers are stripped clean to avoid the declassification of sensitive information. To do this Easter connects the schools with a third-party company that can give them new hard drives and software for the computers at a fraction of the cost that buying any other computer would cost.
"Most of the equipment that we get rid of is still serviceable and in a lot better shape than what most of the schools, especially the small town schools have," Easter said. "They are so thrilled to get that stuff."
While all federal agencies are involved in the recycling and donation of surplus equipment, it is the way that Easter reaches out to schools that has helped his donations make a direct, immediate impact.
One of the largest donations Easter made was through Wagoner Public Schools, where one of Easter’s family members attends.
“I started out visiting with the principal or counselor at the elementary school… and thinking that maybe they would have a desire,” Easter said. “They spoke with the Wagoner Public Schools superintendent and they’ve got needs for all of the different schools, and before you know it, the whole school system and town had benefited.”
Among the most instrumental people in helping Easter locate schools in need has been coworker Marcus Ware.
Ware, whose children now benefit from the donated computers at their schools, became involved in the project during a visit to Easter’s office. While there, he stumbled upon some equipment for which Easter had been unable to find a recipient.
“I went over to Logistics to get a printer and I saw these computers and laptops in boxes,” Ware said. “I had a couple of schools that I knew for a fact could use these nice computers.”
Ware noted the excitement of the schools when they received the equipment, most of which is like-new and less than three years old. He understands the importance of these donations in today’s fast-paced tech-driven age.
“Technology is here,” Ware said, “and kids who are not using computers are going to be that much farther behind.”
One of the schools, the Solid Foundation Preparatory Academy, was operating with only two computers for student use. Now with the help of the Corps, they have an entire computer based learning lab and have qualified for a new technology grant. Without the donations facilitated by Easter and the help of Ware in locating the schools, this would never have been possible.
As schools and parents have begun reaching out to Easter for help, he has seen the increasing need of these donations firsthand.
"Once you start throwing it out there a little bit and people start hearing about it somebody will say 'Hey, my daughter's school needs stuff'," Easter said.
The sustainable practices of Easter, Ware and the Corps as a whole are helping make communities stronger, while giving outdated computers a home. Thanks to these efforts, the equipment that Corps employees type away on today could be a key to a young student’s future, providing the gateways to success that they need.
"Nothing goes to waste," Easter said. "It doesn't get any better, and I really love my job.”