Patience. Persistence. Attention to detail. Creativity.
Those are some of the lessons the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative taught Cadets at the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.
Our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education project not only introduces students to the revolutionary field of additive manufacturing, it uses 3D design and printing classes to teach critical thinking skills that help at-risk teens make better decisions as they enter adulthood.
“I didn’t think I could learn anything like this before,” said Cadet Dalonta Crudup, whose dream is to design and build his own house from the ground up.
“I was thinking that when I start architecture in college it was going to be hard, but joining this class has made it seem a lot easier – how to deal with things, how to deal with situations and building stuff,” he said.
Cadet Niema Travers also was worried at first that she wouldn’t be able to learn 3D design and printing.
“Now I can do this without any problem,” she said with a smile. “It made me feel better than anything because … to be able to make something on the computer, for it to print out and be in your hand, is amazing.”
The 3D classes taught Niema, who has her sights set on a career in information technology, to be patient and methodical in solving problems.
“You have to figure out which piece goes where and if you do it wrong, you have to figure out what happened and go back,” she explained. “It takes a lot of hard work, but I love it.”
“It helped me pay attention to detail,” agreed Cadet Kenneth Cruz, who hopes to study 3D printing in college and perhaps become a video game designer.
It was also a confidence-builder for Kenneth and his classmates.
“Being in this class, it helped me understand that you can put your mind to anything,” he said.
The 3D ThinkLink Initiative gave Cadet Gerry Rubi, who plans to be a civil engineer, the opportunity to get creative with technology.
“One of the main things it taught me is there’s a lot of ways to do one thing,” he said.
Gerry took a 3D engineering class at his previous school, but was only able to look at his designs on a computer screen.
“We never got the chance to physically print it out and be able to hold it and say we created that,” he said.
The class at Capital Guardian allowed him to come up ideas for objects, design and print them and make revisions until he was satisfied with finished item. Gerry likened it to the difference between “drawing a picture and bringing the picture to life.”
YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative was launched at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy early last year and expanded to Capital Guardian in the fall. The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program operates these residential academies where dropouts get a second chance to earn a high school degree and prepare for employment or continued education. The ChalleNGe program in South Carolina will start 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes in a few weeks.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to support this unique STEM education project, click here to donate or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.