NextStep Recycling provides a computer lab to Creative Minds Alternative School

April 3, 2012 - PRLog -- "This is a perfect partnership for NextStep. Creative Mind's philosophy matches NextStep's ePower Our Community philosophy - that all people can succeed with equal access to resources. In our community, the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not is growing exponentially. Alternative schools like Creative Minds provide critical support to at-risk children and are struggling to meet more and more of their students' basic needs. "NextStep is stepping in to provide this computer lab to level the educational playing field for Creative Minds students," says Lorraine Kerwood, Executive Director of NextStep.

Creative Minds, an accredited school registered with the Oregon Department of Education as a licensed alternative education provider, has 55 students - of whom 20 - 25 experience disabilities. The "one teacher to five students" ratio provides an opportunity for students to excel.

NextStep, a nationally recognized public nonprofit technology refurbisher, provides job and social skills training and access to technology to marginalized community members. To date, NextStep has refurbished over 28,000 computers and placed them locally, nationally and in 20 international rural communities.

"Our mission is to ensure every child in our community experiences success in school. Our society is moving further and further into digital communications, and almost all jobs now require computer skills. It is critical for students to be digitally literate if they're going to compete scholastically, and in the workplace. Access to technology is becoming as important as access to pencils. NextStep is here to level the educational playing field, one computer at a time," reports Kerwood.

Computers and other electronic devices donated to NextStep are sanitized (wiped of all data) at no charge. Every hard drive received at the facility undergoes a thorough data removal process that eliminates all personal and confidential information.

To learn more about Creative Minds, contact James Pearson, Director at 541-344-9712.
To learn more about NextStep, contact Lorraine Kerwood, Executive Director at 541-868-6017.

Technology grants like this lab are made possible thanks to the individuals and businesses that donate their obsolete electronics to NextStep. To learn more about donating, please call 541-686-2366.

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NextStep educates and empowers marginalized populations by providing refurbished computers that allow access to technology and the Internet. NS recycles computer hardware and other electronics, keeping hazardous waste out of our soil and water.