Customer profile

Recycling e-waste builds community

and student success
Hillcrest Academy improves students’ learning by winning
$30,000 in client IT infrastructure from the Dell Technologies
Erase E-Waste Sweepstakes. K–12 Education | United States

“
“Everyone has a modern device
they can use in class since we
won the Dell Technologies Erase
E-Waste Sweepstakes.”

Angela Snakenberg
Business Teacher and Technology Specialist,
Hillcrest Academy

Organization needs
Teachers at Hillcrest Academy hesitated to use digital tools Solutions at a glance
in class. Everyone had to wait for laptops to boot up and
application response times were extremely slow, which • Dell Latitude 3310 Education and Dell
interrupted lessons and hindered learning. Latitude 5300 2-in-1 laptops

• Dell Compact Charging Cart (CT36U18)

Organization results • Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch

Monitor (C7520QT)
• Gains $30,000 in modern client devices.
• MakerBot 3D printer
• Builds community by reducing the town’s e-waste.
• Boosts student learning. • Gumdrop headsets and laptop cases
• Simplifies personalized learning plans.
• Increases student engagement.

1
 “
“We no longer worry about using technology during lessons because our
Dell laptops start up right away.”

Angela Snakenberg
Business Teacher and Technology Specialist,
Hillcrest Academy

A solid education and healthy environment are things we hope
all children enjoy. Hillcrest Academy is demonstrating how small
efforts, such as e-waste recycling, can help with both.
Amid the expansive plains of southeast Iowa, you’ll find the
vibrant community of Kalona, a favorite destination of quilters
from around the world and home to Hillcrest Academy, a private
high school with 51 students. Behind the school’s impressive
academic stats is a focus on teaching students to do their
best in all aspects of life. However, teachers and students
were frustrated when using digital tools in class. Boot-up and
application response times were extremely slow because
most laptops were from 2013.
The event was a huge success. “A lady from Davenport, which
is 65 miles away … called to see if she could bring over her
unused electronics,” says Snakenberg. “We took two loads
over to Goodwill, both times filling a pickup truck, trailer, and
15-passenger van without seats.”
Sharing to maximize potential
In the summer of 2020, Hillcrest heard it was a sweepstakes
winner. “Everyone has a modern device they can use in
class since we won the Dell Technologies Erase E-Waste
Sweepstakes,” Snakenberg says. “We keep our Dell laptops,
Gumdrop headsets and cart in the library for teachers to
check out.”

Small steps: Big results

In late 2019, a postcard about the Dell Technologies Erase
E-Waste Sweepstakes arrived on the desk of Angela
Snakenberg, the school’s business teacher and technology
specialist. By holding an e-waste recycling event, Hillcrest
could win $30,000 in IT. “Even if we didn’t win, holding an Erase Improves
E-Waste drive is a good motivator for everyone to clean out their visuals and
old junk,” Snakenberg says.
collaborative
Hillcrest planned a recycling drive that coincided with the annual
learning at
turkey steak supper and prospective student night. However, large events.
just days before the events, all three were canceled due to
the pandemic. The school decided to schedule a contactless
recycling drive, which was promoted on the web and radio, as
soon as Goodwill would accept a large electronics drop off.

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 With the new gear, Hillcrest can boost student learning and
increase personalization with digital tools. “We no longer worry
about using technology during lessons because our Dell laptops
start up right away,” says Snakenberg. “And with the Gumdrop
headsets, students can work on lessons independently.”

“
Staff share the Dell Technologies large, rolling screen monitor
to help with visuals and collaborative learning at large events.
Jeremy Ours, director of advancement at Hillcrest, says, “We’ve
even put the Dell monitor in the lobby during basketball games,
“We’re letting the so families who can’t be in the gym can see a livestream.”

community know how we’re

With its new IT, Hillcrest is boosting student engagement
using the new technologies and showing the community what’s possible with a little
that they helped us win, like digital imagination. Ours says, “In our social media channels,
we’re letting the community know how we’re using the new
the MakerBot 3D printer, by technologies that they helped us win, like the MakerBot 3D
recycling their e-waste.” printer, by recycling their e-waste.”

Jeremy Ours
Director of Advancement,
Hillcrest Academy

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