GFG contributes to curriculum with computers

Students put e-waste to good use in the classroom

13 January 2025

GFG Alliance’s Whyalla operations have made a multi-purpose donation to a local primary school.

The GFG IT departments, covering LIBERTY Primary Steel and SIMEC Mining at the Whyalla Steelworks, answered a call from the Fisk Street Primary School for computer bits and pieces to use in its Year 3-6 curriculum.

The school was desperately looking for old computers for the students to pull apart and learn what functions the components perform before using the parts to make some computer “monsters” and then write stories about them.

It is a great opportunity for the students and a good result for us as it saves this stuff being dumped in e-waste bins, instead it is getting a second life with the kids able to learn from something old and create something new from them
GFG Business Support Officer Stephen Palm

For Fisk Street Senior Leader Amber Cabban and Year 3-4 teacher Georgia Thursby, the delivery of a car-boot load of assorted bits and pieces of computer hardware was a huge boost to the learning program.

“We had scoured the op shops and second-hand stores but didn’t find much plus there was the cost involved,” Amber said.

“This was a fantastic gesture by the GFG Alliance operations in Whyalla it saved us a lot of running around, money and it has provided virtually one piece of equipment for every one of the 30 students involved in this learning.

“Some of these students don’t have computer devices of their own at home, so to have one each to pull apart is invaluable as they learn how technology works and then get further learnings from creating their computer-part monsters and writing about them.”

Business Support Officer in the IT Department at the GFG Alliance Whyalla operations, Stephen Palm said the partnership with Fisk Street Primary School was another example of community connection and a real win for both parties.

This was a fantastic gesture by the GFG Alliance operations in Whyalla it saved us a lot of running around, money and it has provided virtually one piece of equipment for every one of the 30 students involved in this learning
Fisk Street Senior Leader Amber Cabban

The community connection came initially from Amber’s father, Brenton Cabban, who works as an electrical leader for LIBERTY Primary Steel at the Whyalla Steelworks.

“Brenton found out through Amber that the school was looking for old computers and contacted the IT department in the first instance,” Stephen said.

“So, we rounded up as many old and surplus computers and equipment and came up with more then 30 pieces we could donate to the school.

“It is a great opportunity for the students and a good result for us as it saves this stuff being dumped in e-waste bins, instead it is getting a second life with the kids able to learn from something old and create something new from them.”

The donation included laptops, desktops, projectors, printers and assorted other pieces of computer technology. All data was removed, and the equipment was passed safe for dismantling.

Main picture: Zac Maddison and Stephen Palm from GFG Alliance with Fisk Street Primary School teachers Amber Cabban and Georgia Thursby. Above right and below: Fisk Street School students investigate the computer components and start building their monsters.