These four students from the 2014 fall-winter class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.
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Unlocking the Wonders of My World
by Kamie Moody, Age 19
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
My name is Kamie Moody. I am a cadet of Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in Edgewood Maryland. I came to Freestate to take advantage of an opportunity to better my future. Although Freestate is a wonderful program, it can get extremely challenging at times and with the kind of person that I am I was desperate to find an outlet. 3D Printing became that outlet.
Since I was a little girl, I absolutely loved arts and crafts. Anything that allowed me to get my hands dirty and let out my inner creativity, I found alluring. I’ve been a tactile learner for as long as I can remember. I loved to put things together to challenge my mind to build things from scraps and make them into something complete. I was pleased to hear that my case manager recognized these abilities and recommended me for the 3D program. My experience in the program has been better than I could have ever imagined, at no time in my life have I ever thought of myself as capable of making the things that Mr.Meeks and Mrs.Mann have given me the opportunity to make. For that I am truly grateful.
3D Printing has given me a completely new confidence about the way I think when creating. I’ve learned that I don’t have to be the best artist, I just have to have the capacity to think outside of the box. Mr.Meeks has always said “The most important part of the process is to learn how to fail.” We as new participants always come up with elaborate designs and because we aren’t as skilled as a professional, it takes us a few tries before we get our desired outcome. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve bitten off more than we could chew, it just means that we have to put in more work to get to our goal. The key is to keep trying.
As one of my favorite singers Aaliyah said in her song “Try Again”, “If at first you don’t succeed dust yourself off and try again.” I’ve had to dust myself off plenty of times before being able to sit back and admire my creation, but I never quit. The feeling I get when I’ve brought to life something that started off as a mere thought in my head is indescribable. My success in 3D has inspired me to continue my quest in life as a designer. I want to bring my vision to life not only for my enjoyment but for the enjoyment of others as well. I truly believe that I have found my gift and with it I plan to leave my mark. As Beyoncé said in her song “I Was Here”, “I want to leave my footprints on the sand of time, know there was something that meant something that I left behind, when I leave this world, I’ll leave no regrets, I’ll leave something to remember, so they won’t forget.”
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On the Path to Success
by Caleb Dujmovic, Age 18
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
This program has been nothing short of an amazing journey, from learning the foundations of creating a 3D object, to learning the many uses of 3d printing outside of the classroom. Along with learning how to print a 3D spaceship or plane, I’ve learned more about interests I never knew I would have. These include the creating of blood vessels, bones, nerves, and skin tissue to the other side of the spectrum that include the creation of weapons; using the simples tools and techniques our teachers have taught us inside of the classroom. Altogether this has done nothing but enlighten me to 3D printing and to what it can offer me.
When it comes to possible careers, this program has peaked my interest in Bio-Engineering, and it all started when we took our trip to the University of Maryland. My group and I were given the opportunity to visit a laboratory there, and witness first-hand the uses of 3D printing outside of the classroom. We were given a crash course in how the laboratory creates small bones and blood vessels for the human body along with the tests they have done up to this point with the blood vessels and bones they have manufactured. They told us the steps they take from the very beginning were: printing a 3D scaffold, using a protein-rich substance called media to duplicate the desired cell that would wrap around the scaffold, and allowing the cell to grow and envelope the scaffold to form either the bone or the blood vessels. From this point the bone or the blood vessel can be implanted wherever it is needed. From everything I’ve learned from that amazing experience was my profound interest that I never knew I would have of the Bio-Engineering field.
All together the 3D printing program has done wonders for me, from showing me new career fields I may choose, to careers I have found because of this program. I can’t thank Mr. Meeks and Mrs. Mann, and the people that chose me for this program enough. I hope to use what I learned in this program in a future career, or even just for personal use.
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My 3D ThinkLink Life
by Michael Foster, Age 17
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy
My name is Michael Dylan Foster. I am a 17 years old. I live in Florence SC. But I currently attend Youth Challenge Academy where I plan on obtaining my GED and many other opportunities that may be presented to me like the 3D ThinkLink Moment of Inspiration program.
What most people fail to realize is that 3D printing has had an impact in everyone’s daily lives, even if they believe it or not 3D printing is about to make an extraordinary change in the world. Before I truly discovered the amazing capabilities of 3D printing I was one of those people who heard of it but never thought it was anything worth taking interest in. I started the 3D ThinkLink Moment of Inspiration program with the same beliefs. The more and more I learned, the more and more I became fascinated with the idea that whatever you wish to create, you can. There are endless possibilities that derive from the exciting world of three dimensional objects.
3D printing and fashion combined in a harmonious relationship can be so useful and productive by actually printing out clothing and shoes. It can be unimaginably innovative in the medical field by working together to cause people to walk again by giving them a 3D printed exoskeleton. It also operates in synergy with the food service industry to make beautiful works of food. I am the future of 3D printing. I know it sounds a little dramatic but it’s true; it’s up to me and people like me to pick up the torch and carry this passion to the next creative minds. Every extraordinary person made mistakes and had to overcome obstacles in their paths, that’s what made them extraordinary. “To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.” – Leo Burnett.
This experience has taught me so much and made me realize that we really have no limitations. Others have their reasons for taking this class but I believe that this is the place where I put my foot in the door to the future and I know for a fact that there will be many more amazing and unique opportunities for me to come. No matter how hard we try technology will keep moving forward and all we have to do is put in the effort and catch up with it.
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What 3D Printing Has Taught Me
by Sherquana Adams, Age 18
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy
My name is Sherquana Adams I’m from Santee, SC. I have a two year old son, and I’m currently a Cadet at South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy.
3D printing is changing the world in many ways, but let me tell you how 3D printing has changed my life. The training in this class really opened my mind and eyes to a lot more than I thought I would know. I never knew you could do so many things by just using a computer. I now have a way to express myself by making the things that I have always wanted as a child, but couldn’t afford. I would not make them just for myself, but for people all over the world.
Recently, my class and I took an amazing trip to 3D Systems in Rock Hill, Sc. The trip really made me interested in 3-D printing. I saw so many different 3D printers. The Chef Jet really caught my eye because I love food! 3D printing is really taking over technology.
The child who received a 3D printed hand was very intriguing to me as well.
Anastasia was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, this condition leads to congenital abnormalities. In her case, her left arm ends in a tiny, partial palm and button-like buds of fingers. The doctors thought very hard about how to help her. ‘’We thought we could finally get a prosthetic device that could allow Anastasia to use fingers to pick up and grab things.’’ I thought this was so amazing how 3-D printing design and built a hand to help her accomplish things more easily.
I think she now feels more confident in herself; she is even playing sports, and now is a cheerleader thanks to her 3D printed Robohand. I really enjoyed this class it affords me the opportunity to gain experience and continuing education in the medical field, which is my career goal. I would like to become a surgical technician.
Thank you for this opportunity.