LIVERMORE FALLS — Regional School Unit 73 is collecting used technology items such as digital cameras and cell phones to buy equipment for schools.

Jay Middle School and some of its students became involved in the Funding Factory in 2001, district Technology Coordinator Randy Easter told the school board Thursday.

Over the years, used toner and ink cartridges, laptops, digital cameras, cellphones and other small electronic items have been collected.

By recycling the used items, the school earns money or rewards points to buy educational equipment, according to fundingfactory.com.

The Jay school system has in the past bought white boards and scanners, among other items to be used in the classrooms.

There is no cost to the district, Easter said.

Green boxes in which items can be dropped to be recycled are set up at the elementary, middle and high schools and at Jay-Niles Memorial Library in North Jay.

Several years ago, a group of science students wrote to businesses asking them to donate used technology items so they could raise money for the schools.

NewPage and Verso Paper mills in Rumford and Jay have continued to donate products, Easter said.

“It keeps it out of the landfills and we get money for it,” he said.

In a technology-related matter, Technology Director Craig Suttie told the board that the ParentSchool portals at the schools are online.

Parents and students can check grades and other data through the online Internet program with passwords issued by the schools.

dperry@sunjournal.com