"It's a win-win situation for both the community and for Cisco," said Mags Doty, advanced services project manager for Cisco Systems.

Cisco will give more than 1,100 phones, 500 printers, 50 wireless access points, and a series of computers, servers, and switchers to local schools after being used at the four-day DNC.

"This is a pretty sizable donation," said Doty, "the fact that we can turn around equipment that has really been used only for the past few weeks."

The donation totals more than $5 million worth of hardware, software, and advanced services.

"Think about the schools that are just antiquated systems and don't have the funding," said Doty. "This is going to be a real first step for them."

Cisco engineers say the equipment is top-of-the-line, some of it only debuting internationally just a month before the convention. They also say it will save schools money over time.

"This device could provide a lot of benefit, like I said, cut down on costs for cabling copper, which is expensive right now," said Rob Wiley, network consulting engineer for Cisco Systems.

Doty says the community deserves the payback.

"I think it's nice to sort of reward them. (Saying) thanks for being so patient with the setup, the tear down, with everything that has gone on to support the convention," said Doty.

Wiley says it's a good ending after months of hard work preparing for the convention.

"That was one of our concerns initially," said Wiley. "We're going to deploy all this stuff and where is this equipment going to go?"

Cisco Systems will start taking applications from schools and districts. Engineers have to clean out information from computers and hard drives. The company hopes to start distributing the equipment before the end of the year.

"We get to participate in a history-making convention and then we also get to benefit the local community," said Doty.