Students to rebuild donated computers

With the help of industry, Sisters High School has scrounged computer parts and pieces, even whole machines, and will do a major technology upgrade by spring break.

And save as much as $200,000 in the process, according to Schools Superintendent Steve Swisher.

On Thursday, teacher Jon Renner drove over to the Willamette Valley and took delivery of 24 p166 Pentium processors, 30 Pentium overdrive processors and 24-type AX Intel motherboards from computer giant Intel.

These pieces were received through the Students Recycling Used Technology, or STRUT program. With the motto, "Your trash is our future," this is a partnership with Intel, Portland General Electric, Piper Jaffray, Eastern Oregon Fast Freight, NetYear 97 and Oregon 21st Century Schools, coordinated by the Northwest Regional Education Service District.

So far, Intel has donated more than $140,000 in cash and $4 million in new and used systems, components and peripherals through the program, according to the ESD.

On Sunday, with transportation provided by Gary Mclean, president of Interstate Trucking, the school also received 100 "486" computers of various manufacturers including Compaq and Hewlett Packard, with keyboards and power cords, from Tennessee.

These computers were acquired through Jason Willitts, a principal in a firm that liquidates and recycles computers in Tennessee, according to Superintendent Swisher. Jason is the son of Bill Willitts of Sisters, who headed the recent classroom raising project.

"These CPUs include 486/33s, w/4Mb RAM on the low end, and 486/66s, w/16Mb RAM on the upper end. Most have hard disk drives of about 100Mb. A few have old/slow modems," said Renner.

Monitors are expected next week.

The OutlawNet class will be using the new motherboards and p166 processors from Intel to build "new" computers from parts salvaged from the non-upgradable computers in the Windows lab at the high school, Renner said.

The Overdrive processors will be used to upgrade some of the 100 CPUs received on Sunday, together with memory salvaged from the old machines owned by the school.

"Intel has indicated its willingness to provide additional processors and motherboards to the district as we are able to use them, and we look forward to finishing the process of upgrading all of the computers received today by spring break, using this resource," said Renner.

When the work is finished, each classroom will have at least one machine that is capable of providing high-speed Internet access through the wide area network between school buildings and OutlawNet.

OutlawNet class time will also be used to provide staff training in the use of both the network and the Internet, Renner said.

Swisher said the district would have had to pay as much as $200,000 to buy machines of the caliber that will be created by students using the donated equipment.