Alfond Youth and Community Center
AYCC Computer Club
Final Report
June 25, 2024
Refurbished 50 desktop computer setups that were then redistributed at no cost to low-income families, public schools and after-school programs.
Educated 20 grade 4-7 students through Computer Club. All participating youth completed the pilot program, successfully repairing and upgrading at least one computer each.
Diverted more than 1,000 pounds of electronic waste for reuse in the community. Additional e-waste has been reduced by eliminating the need for partners to purchase new devices.
Won a $15,000 Waste Diversion Grant from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. This will let us acquire the necessary components to upgrade and repair 165 more computers, significantly growing the number of students able to participate in Computer Club.
Built a partnership with the University of Maine's School of Education to research, create and pilot professional development workshops to enable public school teachers to run Computer Club in their classrooms.
We are now drafting a program handbook using our pilot experiences. The handbook includes original curricula, in-the-field stories, and technical support tips. We plan to publish these program materials online this summer. Several public schools, Boys and Girls Clubs and YMCAs in Maine have already expressed interest in replicating Computer Club at their sites.
The AYCC is also now running our Summer Enrichment Program. We have 235 youth attending our 9-week camp, many of whom are very excited about learning to repair and upgrade a computer and then getting to take one home to their family!
September 2024 Update:
This fall, we are expanding Computer Club to three additional sites --- one Boys and Girls Clubs and two under-resourced public schools in rural Maine. We will be documenting learnings from the pilot replication efforts and will add them to program documentation soon.