One kid's trash is another's 'tool for school'

But they can help underprivileged children and the environment by donating old school supplies to Tools for Schools, a division of World Care. The program focuses on education and the environment.

World Care is a non-profit, international organization that uses fund raising and corporate sponsorship to support underprivileged children. More than 30 percent of the nation's children do not have the school supplies they need to continue learning, according to World Care literature.

"We're trying to take a negative situation and turn it into a positive one," said Lisa Hopper, president of World Care and coordinator of Tucson's Tools for Schools. "This program is very helpful to kids because it gives them a sense of belonging."

Tools for Schools is designed to fulfill the academic needs of kindergarten-aged through 16-year-old students in the Tucson community, Hopper said.

"Some poor children have to worry even if they are provided with school supplies, because other students steal their supplies," she said.

World Care, in addition to collecting pens, erasers, books and pencils, re-pads paper from used notebooks, Hopper said.

"It's amazing what you can do with recycling," she said.

Tools for Schools boxes will be in University of Arizona residence halls from May 11 to May 17. Students can donate used pencils, paper, poster board, lined paper and folders to Tools for Schools by placing the supplies in paper or plastic bags or boxes, Hopper said.

World Care is also looking for volunteers to help collect and organize the supplies, Hopper added.

"I usually throw away my old school supplies, but this program is a great idea," said Jake Frye, a media arts sophomore. "I believe everything should get reused if it can."

Chris Hamel, a graduate student in English, said she tries to recycle her old notebooks and papers.

"I tend to reuse stuff for myself," Hamel said. "I'm a (teaching assistant) and I end up with a lot of students' papers. After a year, I can recycle their old papers and reuse them for phone messages."