CHS classrooms are filled with technology for teachers to use in their daily lessons. The TV hangs in the corner with the VCR below, the overhead projector is shoved in the other corner, and the Promethean board is front and center. Is all of this really necessary?

After surveying four CHS teachers, who asked to remain anonymous, three said that out of all of the available technology in their classrooms, they only use the Promethean board and computers. The fourth said that she uses the overhead and VCR sometimes, but mostly uses the Promethean board and computer.

“If we get rid of the technology, what happens when we need it?” media services technician Scott Selman said. “We always have a back-up plan. We do not want instruction to stop because every 45-minute class is important.”

Information technology systems specialist Robert Jones feels similarly to Selman in that CHS cannot get rid of the old technology just yet.

“On one hand we are putting new technology in, but that does not mean old technology and supplies are not viable or needed,” Jones said.

Although a lot of CHS’ technology is not normally replaced, the computers are replaced every four to five years depending on the budget. Last year, CHS replaced all of its computers with new ones, and the old ones were collected by MCPS. Steve Silvious, who is the supervisor of the MCPS field installation unit, is in charge of the collections.

According to Silvious, the collected computers are used for library catalogs and for visitor management; they are provided to computer repair classes and donated to Project Reboot, a non-profit organization that provides families referred by social services with refurbished computers.

Project Reboot is located in Rockville, and collects donations of both new and old computers, equipment and software. According to their website, an estimated 16 tons of media equipment is thrown into landfills each week. Project Reboot’s mission is to refurbish the donated equipment, and provide it to non-profit, educational, religious and charitable organizations.

“We have about 400 partner organizations that refer clients to us, such as Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind and the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County,” Project Reboot Technician Warren Hall said.

Not only can big organizations like MCPS donate their computer equipment to Project Reboot, but families can donate too.

“Anyone who has a piece of computer equipment that is reasonably recent can donate,” Hall said. “We are very happy to get laptops because we do not receive many.”

As for new CHS technology, the wireless internet was installed last year, and Selman is eager for all of the new technology opportunities.

“We would love to have more technology such as iPads, but it is all a matter of funding,” Selman said.