VALLEY WEEKEND : KIDS : Students Learning to Convert Cans Into Computers : Youths at one school brought in 6,000 pounds for recycling last year, earning $18,000 in educational equipment.

Desiree Geestman, 9, and Jonathan Studebaker, 8, students at Monte Vista Elementary in the Glendale Unified School District, are champs at collecting aluminum cans.

No, they’re not scavengers who loiter around curbside recycling containers in their La Crescenta neighborhood. They have, rather, made deals directly with aluminum can “owners”--including neighbors, relatives and nearby small businesses--to intercept the recyclables before they’re put on the curb. The kids’ motive is to convert the cans into computers for their school.

They’re part of a dedicated band who, with some help from their parents and teachers, brought in 6,000 pounds of cans last year. And with the collaboration of a program throughout Southern California called KIDsCAN, the school parlayed its collection effort into $18,000 worth of new educational technology, the biggest such haul in the Valley. Sure beats holding a bake sale.

Jonathan was the overall champ collector last school year, with an astounding total of 8,000 cans to his credit. Desiree is a contender for the top spot for the year that began eight weeks ago, with 500 cans so far, according to Principal Paula Willebrands.

Last year Jonathan also earned 368 “Monty Bucks” at his school as a reward for his collecting efforts.

The arrangement with local businesses, such as fast-food restaurants, movie theaters and pet stores, honors the school-printed “Bucks” for small transactions.

“I spent every one of them,” Jonathan said.

*

Monte Vista Elementary was part of a KIDsCAN competition involving 100 schools. It was organized by a nonprofit group, Technology for Results in Elementary Education, or TREE, which has provided matching funds to maximize the results of the kids’ can collecting.

The school sells the cans to local recycling firms for about $1 a pound (there are 26 cans to the pound) and TREE last year matched these dollars on a sliding scale.

Alice McHugh, coordinator of the KIDsCAN campaign throughout six Southern California counties, reports that the state’s Division of Recycling awarded TREE $93,OOO this fall to “take KIDsCAN statewide.”

She and her staff visit schools interested in participating and coach students, teachers and parents on setting up a successful collection program. One secret, she stresses, is that “kids are very competitive, especially if you create inter-grade competition.”

According to Jonathan, this extends to use of the very computers that are bought with KIDsCAN proceeds. He says that, once in the classroom, the computers have become a reward in and of themselves.

“You get to use them after your regular classwork,” he said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

DETAILS

* FYI: Valley kids and parents interested in participating in weekend and after-school collection of recyclables to boost their school’s computer-purchase program should call (800) 648-KIDS.