Schools are asked to swap old mobile phones for interactive whiteboards

Catherine Terry

The following may be of intesest to teachers, parents and boards of management who are currently trying to raise funds to purchase whiteboards for their school:


The Jack & Jill Foundation, through its partner Promethean, have launched a campaign where they are asking schools to swap 300 old mobile phones for a new interactive whiteboard and to raise much needed funds for home nursing care for sick children in the process. The offer also includes installation and training for participating schools who can sign up by visiting phonesforboards. This recycling initiative will assist schools to earn green flag status, with obvious benefits to the environment by preventing the pollution caused by putting old phones into landfills. It is estimated that there are over 10 million old phones in Irish households, just gathering dust and this is a very attractive deal for schools considering the high cost of whiteboards here.
For 300 old mobile phones participating schools can earn a 78 inch Promethean ActivBoard, complete with two ActivPens and the latest lesson development software, Activinspire, while 500 phones will earn the 78 inch whiteboard complete with a height-adjustable frame, super short-throw projector, speakers as well as the two ActivPens and the latest lesson development software, Activinspire.
According to Jonathan Irwin, CEO and Founder of the Jack & Jill Foundation, “This is a great deal for everyone and we’d like to put a new whiteboard into every classroom in Ireland while putting these old phones to good use, with 250 mobiles buying home nursing care for Jack & Jill children for one month. There’s no limit to the number of schools who can participate and there’s no time frame on this campaign and we’re hoping that lots of schools will sign up by September. We wanted to launch the campaign before the school holidays so that the children can get collecting over the summer.”