Tag: at-risk youth

Spring 2019 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2019 spring class cycle earned $1,000 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Naomi Perez
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Naomi, Perez. I’m 16 years old. I’m in a military school called SC Youth Challenge Academy. I came to prove everybody who doubted me wrong all my life. I’ve had people tell me don’t reach for stuff you later on won’t be able to accomplish. I’ve always been determined but also constantly doubted to the point where I question myself everyday if I should go for it or not. I’ve always liked to do right no matter how hard it would be. I would always try and put my best to it. Now I can proudly say I feel like I’ve accomplished new and helpful things in 3D printing.

3D Printing is useful in many ways in this world. In my life 3D printing became an open opportunity where I was able to concentrate and be able to use my creativity my mindset was all in for it.

I learned so much I would’ve never thought or expected to know or even understand. It was different when we went out on the field trip to Duncan Parnell. I’ve been learning so much in class that when I went out to the trip I felt like I was a part of it. I would look at all the machines and the 3D printing models and it all seemed easy to me.

It also became a routine for me to the point where I was just ready for school to end so I can go to 3D printing class. My favorite part of it was when we all helped to build the 3D printing machine.  I learned where the parts came from and where they were made. I honestly owe it all to Mr. Meeks. He was there through it all feeding us information and knowledge about 3D printing. He would inform us about everything we needed to know.

 My plans are to join the Air Force as a mechanical engineer. I enjoy putting stuff together. I was raised by my grandpa.  He’s an auto mechanic and he has taught me everything I’ve needed to know in mechanics. For me this scholarship would be so great and helpful for me to complete my dreams and accomplish my goals. Because I believe that anybody and everybody can accomplish their goals in life.  Why?  Life is full lessons and blessings. That’s why I haven’t given up.

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By Ka’Dejah Riley
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I always knew I was smart, but I always made the wrong choices growing up. Growing up I didn’t put my mind to work in a positive way as much as I should have. Being in 3D printing has helped me explore further talents I never knew I had. 3D printing has helped me to find and utilize my unique assets.

When I was younger I really couldn’t find anything positive that grasped my attention. It’s seemed as if the only thing that caught my attention was trouble, it seemed so easy to find. Me being so gullible and naive, I did things people told me to do, believing them when they told me I wouldn’t get caught up in mischief. I regret most of the things I did in the past. Looking back, I wish I would’ve done better. For me to right my wrongs I came to South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy, where I found out about 3D printing and discovered my hidden talents.

Mrs. Rasberry introduced me and some other cadets to 3D printing. Mrs. Rasberry taught us the basics and from there we explored, and put our creative side to work. Mr. Tom Meeks taught us how to take apart and put together a 3D printer, and he imparted some his knowledge with us about 3D printing. I visited Duncan-Parnell and UNC in Charlotte North, Carolina.

For me being a 16 year old African-American female from Sumter, South Carolina, I felt like I have always been doubted and looked upon like I am not level-headed. 3D printing has helped me to understand I’m not here to please other people I’m here to live for me, and to make the best out what I have. I am so unique and creative in many ways I didn’t even realize. Thanks to 3D printing, I’m going home with knowledge I didn’t have before. I plan on pursuing 3D printing in the future.

I want to go in the medical field, and make prosthetic body parts. I will work with a 3D printer called a bio-printer to print artificial living tissue. I want to show everyone at home and everyone who has ever doubted me I’m more than just the average teenager. I’m going to make something out of myself and I’m not going to go back to my old ways, I’m going to utilize everything I have been taught. Thanks to Mrs. Rasberry, The South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy, and 3D printing, I have the knowledge and ability to be a better me and to live a better life.

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By Hunter Lusby
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I’ve always loved the thought of printing objects of my design. Now that I actually have a chance, it doesn’t feel real, like a fantasy or a dream. Then I look at my creation as it prints from the case up and I realize, this isn’t a dream. It’s reality.

3D printing has helped me realize many things. From seeing how I can help people by creating designs with “I Love You” on it, to realizing that I can do anything and that nothing is beyond my reach. It’s boosted my self-esteem because I actually got chosen for this. Then the thought of being able to go to Virginia to represent the whole Academy in 3D printing? That’s definitely a confidence builder.

One way that I can use what I’ve learned is through community service. From teaching children the fundamentals of 3D printing, to actually creating objects for kids. I’ve always wanted to help children who are in hospitals. With 3D printing, I could make them little teddy bears with encouraging messages on them. 3D printing is very useful in many ways. I believe this is the future of building technology.

If I was to be chosen to go to Virginia, it would honestly change my life. I could learn how to become better and advance my skills. Being chosen would also help me in life with finding a job. And with that job, I could influence others with my creations, therefore making the world a happier place.

Fall 2018 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2018 fall class cycle earned $1,000 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

Well I’m going to be honest. At first I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice about picking 3D Printing over Welding. I was kind of disappointed in the first 3D printing class because it was boring and nothing seemed to catch my attention and I wanted to drop out of the class as soon as possible! Then we ended up going on a field trip and we went to a place called The Foundery in Baltimore. During this trip I got to see a lot of interesting thing such as water jet cutters, blacksmithing, woodworking, welding, laser engraving and a lot of other things. This made me change my perspective and made me realize how cool and unique things can be when you learn to build things on your own and you get a feeling of satisfaction when doing it.

The YouthQuest 3D printing program has helped me think outside of the box. It helped me change the way I look at simple things like lines, shapes, and sizes. 3D printing made me realize that I don’t have to be a kid to have an imagination and being a part of 3D printing allows me to think freely.  It allows me to use the Moment of Inspiration program to use my creativity and put it into practice. This program allows me to make a design and then bring it to life. I got to see 3D designs on a computer screen and comparing it to when it is actually in my hands is a great experience no words can describe.

Another great experience I had was going to the Harford Community College and getting to see all the different types of printers that exist and asking questions about how they work and what they do affects our future in great ways. Technology is a big part of my generation and being able to see a printer that is able to create limbs for people is so amazing.

The 3D program is a good program for people who have a lot of creativity and want to see things come to life. With 3D printing, designs are very complex and they are tiny layers sticking together. It starts from the bottom and comes up layer by layer. With 3D printing you have a freedom of design and customizing at the same time. But this program allows you to use less shaping materials then traditional manufacturing methods. I believe that 3D printing was a great opportunity for me to be a part of something. I got a chance to see things differently than most of the cadets here and I appreciate it. I now realize that I made a great choice to stay with 3D printing because it got me to see the world and what revolves around me differently. I no longer see things with a simple mind. I got to have a different experience and I would do it all over again if I had a chance to.

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By Caleb Pearson
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

When I was twelve or thirteen years old I caught my first glimpse of 3D printing. I saw a man on the news with a 3D printed prosthetic arm writing his own name and that’s when I started to see 3D printing everywhere. It was being mentioned in magazines to describe the structure of certain products and I saw the terminology used in shows and some movies I watched. I never knew how the printing was done or what did it but now thanks to the 3D printing program hosted by the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy I can understand that process much better.

The YouthQuest program changed my concept of what 3D printing is into something I never thought to consider. When I first thought about how manufacturers used computers to design their products I thought it took genius level skills in mathematics to complete. Contrary to that belief it’s so simple I learned how to create a 3D object in just three lessons. The YouthQuest program uses nouns and verbs and a little math here and there to create objects in the four viewing platforms. My first project was to make a cookie cutter by extruding two rings and then using another tool to sharpen its edges. It seems like a simple task but I had a blast just doing that with the assistance of the instructional videos, which are very helpful in my opinion. The key phrase during the class: mistakes are not final, nothing is so bad that you can’t come back from it.

The 3D printing program altered my view of that itself, but that phrase changed my mentality towards my reality. I signed up for this 3D program thinking it would teach me how to make and design cool things. I thought they would hand me some papers that told me how to do everything but I was sorely mistaken. The teachers, both physical and digital, get in-depth with the students on issues they might have or run into while working with the program and how to correct them. I was happy to see that the bottom left corner of the menu screen had an “Undo” button when I made a mistake, it makes things so much easier to work with.

Integrating this form of manufacturing into my lifestyle seems a lot more plausible now that I’ve seen it used in the career field I’d like to pursue, which is engineering in general at the moment. The 3D printing team took a field trip to a company called Duncan-Parnell who manufactures and services their machines. We learned about the many different forms of 3D printing and the different materials they can print. I used to believe that carbon-fiber was the toughest material to work with but it turns out their company has a machine that actually prints with that material. My mind was blown by this point of our trip but it got even better.

After the business visit, we went off to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The staff at UNCC took us on a tour with the engineering program. The aerospace program had a rocket with a 3D printed nose cone and rover which they used at a competition which was overseen by NASA. They had a crew of over 15 people which was used to make just that one rocket. I loved the next part where they took us all through the machining and 3D printing facilities, which had a temperature-controlled room which I had never been into. One of the guides for our group shared his story of how he had never gotten that big of an education in math, which I could really relate to but had never heard before, lifted my spirits about my future in the engineering field. I guess that’s what really solidified my resolve to pursue that career path and is how it will affect my life.

I know I’ve learned that my path in life is not ultimately decided by my mistakes and that I am still working on a few that I’ve made. I know that I will still make more of them in future, hopefully not too many, and I’ll learn from those too. Right now I’m happy with the doors I’ve opened and the ones I’m still working on opening to better my future. I hope my efforts pay off and I accomplish everything I put my mind to. Thank you SCYCA for the opportunity to grow into a better person

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By Chigaru Todd
Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I truly appreciate being chosen for this potential scholarship. My name is Chigaru A. Todd and I attend Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. I am 16 years old and I live in Northeast, Washington, DC. I believe I should be chosen for this scholarship because I have demonstrated hard-work ethics, responsibility, and the willingness to learn and further my knowledge. I am a very creative individual with the readiness to work and achieve great possibilities. Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” While attending Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy I was given the opportunity to experience a training which involved a 3D ThinkLink course. This course consists of a program called Moment of Inspiration. While using this program we are able to build objects and produce them on our 3D printing machine.

The program was taught to me in a step by step process. At the end of this process each student in my class was able to build their own 3D key chain. Each student completed their key chain. When I finished mine I felt empowered. I was very intrigued by the 3D software and what it detailed. The wise words of Audrey Hepburn, “Nothing is impossible, for the word itself says I’m possible” inspired me to continue on with 3D ThinkLink training and the outstanding growth it brought to my leadership goals.

My fellow cadets and I were greeted with such gratitude and enthusiasm, it made my peers and I feel as though we were on top of the world. To be offered a scholarship of this magnitude at this point in my life is a blessing. Being able to use computers for graphic arts and be recognized for it is a dream come true. Graphic arts is something that has always fascinated me. I plan to stay focused and further my career in the graphic engineering field.

I remember my father always telling me, “You are so intelligent and if you use your mind for good, you can really go far in life.” I always think about him saying this in my mind and use it for motivation. If not for my father I probably, never mind the probably, I would not be where I am right now. He has inspired me to obtain and achieve the unachievable. If I receive this scholarship, it would make my father proud and it would also make me proud. It would be an honor and a blessing to receive this scholarship. Thank you very much for an opportunity such as this that you have given me.

I believe that you must be willing to change your perspective to seek ultimate opportunities. Prior to coming into Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy I had no intentions of participating in any extracurricular activities, but I found interest in 3D Printing and Systems. 3D printing has been an outlet I’ve used to be creative while also gaining knowledge of the next generation’s technology. Since the start of the course I have learned not only the concept of 3D printing, but how to come with up an idea, design it, and turn it into reality. I often had troubles in school understanding key points, but since being a part of 3D printing, my way of thinking has gradually changed. I am very grateful to be able to express myself now through my work.

After graduating Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, I plan to return as a peer mentor to encourage those who are in the position I was in. After that, I plan to enlist in the Army. My overall goal is to enlist into the military as a Public Affairs Specialist while majoring in Media Communications and Hospitality Management. I plan to take the skills I learned from 3D printing and utilize them in my personal life. I hope to design personalized 3D print items that will provide another stream of income as an entrepreneur.

One of my ultimate life goals is to be able to help my father financially by becoming self-sufficient. Growing up in a single parent household, my father has been the most influential person in life. I watched him struggle to raise me as a young female. I believe that everything I do is in honor of my father.

He instilled in me knowledge and gave me the guidance that I will need to be independent. I am excited for the future and thankful for what 3D printing has given me.

3D ThinkLink Initiative Helps At-Risk Youth Build Resilience

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3D ThinkLink student David Kelly from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in advanced training lab

Considering what many of the at-risk teens our 3D ThinkLink Initiative serves have been through in their young lives, it’s remarkable that they’ve done as well as they have. Violence, poverty, family upheaval, academic failure, substance abuse and all sorts of physical and emotional trauma are recurring themes in their personal stories. Yet some of them thrive despite it all.

This quality of being able to succeed in the face of adversity is known as resilience.

One of the unexpected discoveries we’ve made during five years of teaching 3D design and printing to troubled kids is that the experience helps many of them become more resilient.

That’s because our program emphasizes more than technical skills. It promotes critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and self-confidence. The trial-and-error process of making 3D-printed objects changes our students’ perception of failure. They come to see it as a natural part of the learning process and a step along the path to eventual success.     

Henry Spiegelblatt runs a 3D printer in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink class at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale, Virginia
PHILLIPS student Henry Spiegelblatt runs a 3D printer in class

“These are students that have failed often in the classroom and they don’t always have the confidence that they can learn and be successful. The 3D class really gives them that,” said Lindsay Harris, director of the Career Partners Program at PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families. PHILLIPS has adapted our 3D ThinkLink curriculum for students with autism at its Annandale and Fairfax, Virginia, schools.

“Trying something hard, being successful and becoming competent in it, going through a process where your design fails but then problem-solving to improve the design so that it prints the way you want it … This all has a major impact on their self-esteem and their confidence that they can contribute, they can learn, they can problem-solve,” she added. “We know from the resiliency literature that having successful experiences is one of the ‘protective factors’ that shield you from stresses in life. So this definitely is something that helps build their resiliency.”

Relationships Overcome Risks

“Resilient people defy stereotypes,” explained Associate Professor Elizabeth Anthony from the Arizona State University School of Social Work. In a 2016 speech, she advocated defining children by their strengths instead of their risks.

Anthony, who’s spent two decades studying how some children manage to do well despite adversity, has found that relationships are a key factor.

“It could be a mentor, for example, who helps a young person identify a gift or a talent, that helps inspire them,” she said.

At-risk kids develop more resilience when someone takes an interest in them and “champions their cause,” Anthony added.

A long-running study of children on the Hawaiian island of Kauai that began more than 60 years ago reinforces Anthony’s point. According to an article by Lucy Maddox on the website Quartz:

The researchers in the Kauai study separated the nearly 700 children involved into two groups. Approximately two-thirds were thought to be at low risk of developing any difficulties, but about one-third were classed as “high-risk”: born into poverty, perinatal stress, family discord (including domestic violence), parental alcoholism or illness. they found that two-thirds of this group went on to develop significant problems. But totally unexpectedly, approximately one-third of the “high-risk” children didn’t. They developed into competent, confident and caring individuals, without significant problems in adult life. 

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy cadet David Kelly does advanced training in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Lab in June 2017
David Kelly does advanced training in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab

“One person can make a big difference,” the study’s principal investigator Lali McCubbin, told Maddox. “A lot of the research supports this idea of relationships, and the need to have a sense of someone that believes in you or someone that supports you – even in a chaotic environment – just having that one person.”

Jonathan Brown and Jamarr Dennis experienced this as a 3D ThinkLink instructors at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy last year, when one of their students was David Kelly, who lives in tough, inner-city part of Baltimore.

“In his family and neighborhood, it would be so easy for him to fall back into what he got away from. But this kid separated himself from all the commotion, all the folks who wanted to continue to go down the wrong path, who tried to use peer pressure and other methods to get him off the path,” said Brown. “His commitment to complete the program was unparalleled. Being in 3D couldn’t have been a better experience for him, to see someone believing in him and being successful doing it.”

“He watched me print out a chess piece and that opened his eyes,” Dennis recalled. “He said I want to do the same thing you just did, but I want to do it from scratch. And then from there on, he just started progressing. He was so excited about it. … It turned on that inspiration, that ambitiousness, that he has.” 

“Afterwards he gave me the biggest hug you could give anybody and said thank you for being patient with me, especially teaching me in this class,” added Dennis.

Kelly turned out to be one of the top 3D students in his class at Freestate and went on to attend advanced training in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab at our headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia, last summer. This month, he enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program and is on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming a U.S. Marine.

Competence Creates Confidence

The at-risk teens we serve typically have very limited life experiences, and what experiences they do have are overwhelmingly negative. As a result, their view of what’s possible for them is also limited. That’s why our 3D ThinkLink Initiative is designed to expose these young people to new ideas and experiences. For instance, each class cycle includes Vocational Orientation tours that take students to places they’ve never been and show them how the 3D skills they’re learning in class are used by businesses and universities.   

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadet Daniela Aguilar at Vocational Orientation in the University of Maryland Tissue Engineering Lab in April 2017
Daniela Aguilar at Vocational Orientation in the University of Maryland Tissue Engineering Lab

“One of the most exciting findings in the last decade or so is that we can change the wiring of the brain through the experiences we expose it to. The right experiences can shape the individual, intrinsic characteristics of a child in a way that will build their resilience,” psychologist Karen Young wrote on the website Hey Sigmund.

Experiences that show at-risk kids they’re capable of doing difficult things can be life-changing, Young added. Developing competence and “a sense of mastery” strengthens their resilience.

3D design and printing seems daunting to our students when they begin class. Most of them have told us they didn’t think they could do it at first. But the teachers guide them step-by-step through the 3D ThinkLink curriculum, showing them how to solve problems through critical thinking and iterative improvement. Although they experience plenty of failures while designing and printing 3D objects, they learn from those mistakes and keep trying until they’re successful.

The overarching lesson of our program that failure is not final – in 3D printing and in life. It’s gratifying when we see at-risk kids take that lesson to heart.

One of those who did is Daniela Aguilar from Washington, DC, who was in our 3D class at Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy during the first half of last year. She fell one test short of earning her General Equivalency Diploma (GED), so the school asked her to come back for the next class cycle to serve as peer mentor, which gave her the chance to stay on campus and finish her GED.

Daniela Aguilar presents the 3D-printed clock she made to Miss Black Maryland USA Saidah Grimes at Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy in August, 2017
Daniela Aguilar presents the 3D-printed clock she made to Miss Black Maryland USA Saidah Grimes

“She was young — 16 when she came to us in January – and had a difficult home life. That’s one of the reasons we allowed her to become a peer mentor, to keep her in a better environment for a little while longer to accomplish her goal of completing her GED,” said Keith Hammond, who teaches 3D ThinkLink classes at Capital Guardian.

When Miss Black Maryland USA Saidah Grimes visited the campus last August, a counselor asked if Hammond’s class could make a 3D-printed keepsake. Because Aguilar had completed 3D ThinkLink training in the previous class cycle, Hammond assigned her the task of designing and printing a customized clock for the VIP guest.

“In the beginning, she thought being back at Capital Guardian as a peer mentor would make people think of her as a failure because she hadn’t passed her GED. But because she got the spotlight by knowing 3D printing, making the clock and presenting it in front of everyone, she felt better about herself,” said Hammond. “When she got that positive reinforcement because she knew how to do the 3D program, I think it made her understand internally that she is worth the effort.”

3D ThinkLink Scholarship Winners Look to the Future

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Essay contest scholarship winners Trevor Haney, Bradley Berry and Dante Isom from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks at graduation on June 23, 2018.

Four students who completed 3D ThinkLink training at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies have earned scholarships to help them take the next steps on their career paths.

YouthQuest presented the $500 scholarships to Maryland Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadets Bradley Berry, Trevor Haney and Dante Isom, and DC Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Jacob Foote, during graduation ceremonies in June.

3D ThinkLink scholarship winner Jacob Foote at Capital Guardian graduation
Jacob Foote at Capital Guardian graduation / Photo by DC National Guard

3D students compete for scholarships by writing essays about the personal impact our class had on them. All four of the winners in this latest class cycle said the 3D ThinkLink experience opened their eyes to job opportunities they had never imagined.

“Taking 3D printing has sparked my creativity. I love the fact that it gets my imagination going,” wrote Bradley, who hopes to pursue an engineering associate’s degree at Harford Community College.

“This program has changed my mind on what I want to do after Freestate. I never had an actual passion in life, but I want this to be my career,” he explained. “It’s crazy how a few months can affect the rest of your life.”

Dante’s essay focused on his interest in becoming a graphic designer.

“My 3D ThinkLink experience was a positive experiment for me because it shone some light of a future opportunity for me working in the graphic design industry or something that could involve 3D printing because I would already know how to work with the 3D printers,” Dante wrote.

The Capital Guardian class trips to the University of Maryland’s 3D printing facilities and the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, DC, made a big impression on Jacob.

“It showed me that I have the skills to continue my education and use it in my future as a 3D designer,” said Jacob in his scholarship-winning essay.

Cadets Haney and Foote examine an ancient vase that they 3D scanned at 3D ThinkLink advanced training in May, 2018.
Cadets Haney and Foote at 3D ThinkLink advanced training

Like Jacob, Trevor was one of the top students in his 3D class and attended advanced training sessions in May at our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab in Chantilly, Virginia.

“When I started Freestate, I didn’t have enthusiasm about my life,” Trevor recalled in his essay. “Getting accepted into 3D printing was one of the first things that brought me hope at Freestate. In every class we have, I learn something new, which makes me very intrigued about the next class.”

Trevor credited our class for motivating him to have a positive attitude and stick with the rigorous 22-week residential program at Freestate. He took our failure-is-not-final message to heart and learned that “hard work pays off.”

Trevor’s hard work paid off in the form of several awards, in addition to our scholarship, that were presented to him at Freestate’s graduation ceremony in Joppa, Maryland. Now he’s planning to join the Army and find a position that will allow him to apply the 3D skills he learned in our class.

Our semiannual essay contest is judged by New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap, whose latest novel in the Jonathan Grave thriller series is Scorpion Strike.

Since 2013, YouthQuest has awarded a total of $9,500 in scholarships to 19 essay contest winners.

CLICK HERE to read the four winning essays

Spring 2018 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2018 spring class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Bradley Berry
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

3D printing has taught me how pressing a couple buttons can create a masterpiece. I’m very eager to see how I can apply 3D printing to real world careers. I feel that in a decade or two, every family in the United States will have a 3D printer inside their household. Many new jobs are surfacing due to 3D printing. I learned how using certain verbs such as extrude can change a 2D object into a 3D object that you can manipulate and even print.

3D printing has taught me how programming can be used to create physical and even moving pieces of art. I have become rather fascinated by 3D printing. I am amazed at what you can accomplish with a computer, a printer and an active imagination. I truly believe that by 2020 3D printers will be a commonly used household item! This 3D printing ThinkLink class is preparing me for our future in a fun, yet challenging way. I love the fact that it gets my imagination going.

Taking 3D printing has sparked my creativity in a whole new way, not just by giving me freedom to run wild but by teaching me how to do so. This class has made me want to expand my knowledge by attending programs that teach me about 3D printers and the different parts, how to build them, take them apart, and even what the different parts’ purposes are. I would say my favorite part has been watching a small simple 3D printer print just as good as a high tech big printer. I am considering going to college at Harford Community College for an engineering associate’s degree.

I understand that this scholarship is for a select few but I feel that I will expand my connections in the realm of programs and 3D printing itself that I couldn’t find elsewhere. I feel that I actually excel at 3D printing at the point to where I’ve become passionate about this and want to go far in this field. I have learned a lot and still have much to learn and I feel that this scholarship will benefit me greatly.

I have used some different techniques to see what possibilities may arise and I have often found myself creating new, crazier things. This program has changed my mind on what I want to do after Freestate. I never had an actual passion in life but I want this to be my career. I want to create and show others the possibility of 3D printing.

In conclusion, 3D printing has changed my life forever by opening doors that otherwise would’ve remain closed. It’s crazy how a few months can affect the rest of your life. For that I would like to thank Freestate and the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink program. Even if I don’t get picked I will still hold the knowledge obtained so far.

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By Trevor Haney
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

The 3D ThinkLink experience has had a very positive impact on my time at Freestate. It has helped me in the program and taught me valuable skills. The 3D printing program has encouraged me and helped give me an extra reason to stay in this program. The 3D ThinkLink program is a great experience for the teens in this program.

Being in the 3D printing program has given me great encouragement about the Freestate program and my future with 3D printing. When I started Freestate I didn’t have enthusiasm about my life. Getting accepted into 3D printing was one of the first things that brought me hope at Freestate. In every class we have, I learn something new, which makes me very intrigued about the next class.

The class/program has helped me in many ways. Its helped time go by faster in Freestate by being in class every week and going on fun trips. It’s also helped me stay positive and push forward while I am here. Making good decisions in Freestate and staying on track has helped me to be able to remain in the 3D printing program. It has also helped me escape the boring life of the barracks. These are just a few of the ways this program has helped me through these past months.

I have learned many valuable skills while using the 3D ThinkLink software. I learned things like how to simply draw a circle or any 2D shape and then extrude it to make it 3D. I also learned more complicated things like taking the 3D circle (cylinder) and using offset to make it hollow. With these skills I have learned, I plan to one day hopefully own my own 3D printer and make many things. I also want to join the military and possibly find a job there that uses the special skills ThinkLink has taught me.

When the cadets and I first started the 3D classes, many people thought they were “dumb” or “boring”, but now everyone is interested and loves going to 3D class. It has improved their lives by teaching them that using their imagination and taking many steps while being creative can slowly, but surely, turn into something that was just an image in their mind at first, into something greater. It also showed them that hard work pays off and that being good in Freestate can get them accepted into a program like 3D. They can remember that and use it in their everyday lives.

In conclusion, 3D printing has greatly affected my life. It has taught me valuable skills that I’ll use in the future. It also has helped me remain positive and given me another reason to push forward with Freestate. This does not only help me, but any at-risk youth the 3D ThinkLink program serves.

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By Dante Isom
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

Coming into the room I thought that 3D printing would be very simplistic and easy. It was quite the opposite. There were so many things that I had to remember. There were all sorts of things I needed to know like how big the object was, how the object would look when it was printed, and what the proportions were. The thing that I thought would be so easy turned into one of the hardest things I had to do in a while.

3D printing isn’t something that everyone can master right off the bat. When we started with the simple stuff like making a single circle and naming it so that we could make it hide or show back up on the screen it seemed simple until you started to have a lot of objects and you forgot which object was what. The main problem I kept running into was forgetting to name the object that I needed to color or move and I would have to go back a few steps to make it work the way it was supposed to.

The personal impact that 3D printing had on me is that it made me challenge myself to not only think about what I had to do but to envision it in my head and make it a reality on the program Moment of Inspiration. Moment of Inspiration (MoI for short) is a program that you can use to make blueprints of 3D objects and make them move or design them in any way that you need them to look. 3D printing made me think about my future in the terms that I am thinking of taking up Graphic Design as a career and I could implement the things that I learned here in the future.

While I was in 3D printing, we went to a Science Expo in DC and I helped show how a 3D scanner worked and how you could scan an object and it would show up in the screen the way it would appear any other way as a solid. While we were at the expo I had the opportunity to walk around and observe the other booths that were there. My favorite booth was when we used chemicals to separate the genes from a strawberry in a test tube container and we could see the process happening and it was really cool. Another thing that I did at the expo was I went to a booth involving the science of taste and how your sensory organs worked together. In the experiment I ate a cinnamon flavored jelly bean while holding my nose. When I was holding my nose it tasted like a gooey mess and then when I removed my hand from my nose and took a breath it actually had a taste and it wasn’t as bad anymore.

In the end my 3D ThinkLink experience was a positive experiment for me because it shone some light of a future opportunity for me working in the graphic design industry or something that could involve 3D printing because I would already know how to work with the 3D printers.

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By Jacob Foote
Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My experience in 3D printing this year at the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy was awesome. On the first trip to the USA Science and Engineering Festival at the Washington, DC Convention Center, I learned a lot about 3D printing and myself. You can scan anything with the 3D camera and the software and put that on the computer to virtually print it. Then you can adjust it and make it look like a replica or add anything you like to change the design. I thought that was kind of amazing. It was also amazing that I learned all this very quickly before the guests arrived.

I also learned that you can make a lot of cool stuff for people with disabilities to help them out with their everyday needs. If I am selected to continue in the 3D printing post-residential program after I graduate, I will work to create a 3D printed wheelchair that is electric and easy for people to get around in. It will be lighter and cheaper so more people can afford to have the best quality things. At Local Motors they showed me a lot of stuff. It was fun to learn and see what they created. I had a lot of fun at Local Motors. They have a very large 3D printer big enough to make a car, a bus, a scooter, and even a chair. Basically I now know you can really create anything from a 3D printer. I saw them at Local Motors creating their electric bus named Olli. They added lots of technology to help the disabled people be more independent and safe.

The 3D ThinkLink class helped me a lot with my stay at the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. It showed me how to present my work and show little kids in a way that they will understand 3D printing. At the science festival it felt good to show the kids and their parents how to scan shoes and the stuffed animals. Learning about the “smooth” printers at the University of Maryland was cool too. If I go to school there I am thinking of a lot of things I can print.

In conclusion, I think this class was excellent and it showed me that I have the skills to continue my education and use it in my future as a 3D designer.

3D ThinkLink Teachers Update Skills During Training Week

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Freestate's Jonathan Brown, Capital Guardian's Keith Hammond, YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Freestate's Jamarr Dennis work with a JellyBox 3D printer during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training on Sept. 27, 2017.

If there’s anything we enjoy as much as having students in our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab, it’s having teachers there.

Jonathan Brown and Jamarr Dennis from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy and Keith Hammond from DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy came to our headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia, the week of September 25 to learn about the newest elements of our 3D ThinkLink Initiative.

“We want to give them the best tools and motivate them to learn how to use those tools so they can be the best teachers for the at-risk students we serve,” explained YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

“I’m always happy when I come out here,” said Keith, who’s been a 3D ThinkLink teacher from the beginning in 2013, when we launched our project to use 3D printing as a vehicle for teaching critical thinking and problem solving skills to at-risk youth.

Capital Guardian's Keith Hammond and Freestate's Jonathan Brown and Jamarr Dennis learn about the M3D Micro 3D printer during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training on Sept. 26, 2017.
Teachers learn about the M3D Micro

He praised the individual attention Tom provided during the training sessions, which included an introduction to new equipment such as the M3D Micro printer. The Micro is more versatile than the 3D Systems Cube printers we’ve used in classrooms for years and gives teachers more control over printing options.

Tom and the teachers also reviewed the new structure of the 3D ThinkLink curriculum. Based on the results from previous class cycles, we’ve reorganized the curriculum into blocks of four to five lessons, each of which which culminates with a benchmark project that involves all the skills students should have mastered by that point.

Jamarr, who’s in his second class cycle of 3D ThinkLink teaching, thinks the new structure will help his students at Freestate stay on pace from week to week. He said the benchmark projects should show him if students have missed something important before they move ahead in the curriculum.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction, Tom Meeks. show Moment of Inspiration 3D design software to Jonathan Brown from Maryland's Freestate ChalleNGe Academy during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training Week in September, 2017.
Tom Meeks introduces Moment of Inspiration 3D design software to Freestate’s Jonathan Brown 

Jonathan, our newest 3D ThinkLink teacher at Freestate, was hesitant to get involved in the project at first because he wasn’t sure he could devote the time and effort it takes to learn about the software and hardware. But when he spent a week in our lab as a chaperone for two Freestate Cadets who completed advanced training this summer, he was convinced.

“When I saw how quick the kids grasped it and how much fun they had with it, I said I’m absolutely coming back,” Jonathan recalled.

As soon as a teaching position opened up, he volunteered. Within weeks, Jonathan was back in our lab working closely with Tom to become a 3D ThinkLink teacher.  

“I’m here early every day because I’m looking forward to what we’re going to pick up today. And Tom has matched all of my intensity,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to be creative and seeing where my mind takes it.”

Tom will travel to the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy in Eastover next week to provide training for new teachers.

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Congratulations to Our 3D ThinkLink Scholarship Winners

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3D ThinkLink Scholarship Essay Contest Winners Asia Baker-Stevenson and LaMarcus Corley

The YouthQuest Foundation has awarded scholarships to two students who recently completed our 3D ThinkLink training.

Asia Baker-Stevenson from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy and LaMarcus Corley from Washington DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy earned $500 each for the essays they wrote about the personal impact of their 3D ThinkLink experience.

YouthQuest provides instruction in 3D design and printing at the ChalleNGe academies to help Cadets develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, explore their creativity and gain self-confidence.

LaMarcus and Asia finished the 22-week residential phase of the ChalleNGe program in June and are now in the year-long post-residential phase, during which they work with an adult mentor to continue on the path to reach their potential as successful adults. The scholarship money is to be used for continued education or vocational training.

“Before I started 3D printing I was very insecure about myself. I thought I would never be good at anything,” Asia said in her essay, adding that she struggled with using the computer and design software at first. But she learned from her mistakes and persevered, making step-by-step improvements with each new project.

“I’ve learned that starting something new is for a purpose and that purpose is to never give up or quit on yourself,” she wrote. “I may not be able to complete things on my own, but I shouldn’t be afraid of failure.”

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet LaMarcus Corley in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab during Youth Mentor training in June, 2017
LaMarcus Corley in our lab for Youth Mentor training

Like Asia, LaMarcus discovered that 3D ThinkLink changed his way of thinking. He said it helped him control his anger and improve his concentration.

“When I come to class, my whole mood changes,” LaMarcus explained. “I become happy because I know that I’m in a good place.”

LaMarcus also said in his essay that if he had a 3D printer of his own, he would start a business to make things like toys and parts for bikes and cars.

“The reason I would create these objects is because I know people are less fortune than others and it would let me give back to the community,” he wrote.

Now LaMarcus has the opportunity to give back by being a Youth Mentor. In June, he and three other top Cadets from Freestate and Capital Guardian trained for a week in our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab. They received 3D printers, design software and laptops to use in sharing their skills with others in their community, serving as positive role models.

New York Times bestselling author John Gilstrap, best known for his Jonathan Grave thriller series, reads all the essays submitted and picks the winners in our semi-annual scholarship competition.

CLICK HERE the read the complete essays

Spring 2017 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2017 spring class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Asia Baker-Stevenson
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

The YouthQuest 3D printing program has transformed my way of thinking and my way of life in many different ways. Before I started 3D printing I was very insecure about myself. I thought I would never be good at anything. I’ve always believed that I would be a failure in life and that I would never be able to make my mom smile. When I signed up for 3D printing I thought my creativity would never be able to process. But once I started trying and putting my mind towards it, I realized that 3D printing helps society look so much easier. I didn’t know that I would be able to make a house, car, a necklace, and my name from the use of a 3D printer.

The students from the University of Maryland help out the economy by reconstructing cells with the usage of 3D printing. I’ve learned that there are more things in 3D printing than just shapes and colors. I’ve learned that you can use a 3D printing to reconstruct bones, and cells in a biochemistry lab. They used a 3D printer in order to show others the size of a 3 month old’s heart, with the use of an incubator they were able to disinfect and prevent bacteria from forming on new-born cells.

While being at The Foundery I was able to see a blacksmith make a spear while using nothing but fire and a sledgehammer. I also saw a 3D printer that prints with the usage of lasers which to me was amazing.

When I first signed up for 3D printing I didn’t believe that I would be able to create a successful design. Everything to me seemed to be impossible. I struggled to work on the computer. The very first design I made was my name because I felt as though my design wasn’t worthy enough to be put out into the real world. I became frustrated with myself I wanted to give up because my peers’ designs looked better than mine. The outcome of my first design encouraged me to keep going and to move on to create bigger and better things that will later help people out in life.

Joining 3D printing has taught me to always achieve bigger and better things. It has also taught me to never give up on anything because the simplest mistake that I make could turn out to make my project much better. While being in 3D printing I’ve learned that starting something new is for a purpose and that purpose is to never give up or quit on yourself. I may not be able to complete things on my own but I shouldn’t be afraid of failure.

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By LaMarcus Corley
Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I signed up for 3D printing and I did not get accepted the first time. I was very upset. I then talked to my case manager and she found a way to enter me into the class. My first day of 3D-printing was cool I learned a lot that I never knew before using a 3D printer. After my first day I decided that this was something that I would like to do because I am a creative person that likes to use my mind.

Now that I have more experience in the class and I know all the commands by heart for example, extrude means you can extend in the Z direction or be set to taper or follow a path. You can extrude an open or closed object to create 3D surface or solid. In my class, I learned how to make a clock, keychain, bookmark, ring, and a puzzle. I also made a clock for the Commanding General Walker. I also know how to change the filament on a 3D printer, load the cartridge, and level the print pad with the 3D plate attached to it.

If I had a 3D printer, I would start a business. I would create a toy company to be exact. I would create toys, fidget toys, parts for cars, and parts for bikes. The reason I would create these objects is because I know people are less fortune than others and it would let me give back to the community. My company would also be non-profit. All the money would come from my saved earnings. I would also create items for my family, and friends to show my knowledge of 3D printing and for myself.

3D printing has changed my life in many ways. It has helped me control my anger. It has also helped me control my ADHD. When I come to class my whole mood changes, I become happy because I know that I’m in a good place.

The YouthQuest Foundation Year in Review: 2016

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YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks with students in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab

The YouthQuest Foundation reached a milestone in serving at-risk youth as 2016 came to an end.

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy 3D ThinkLink students graduate December 2016
3D ThinkLink students graduate from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, December 2016

“With December’s graduations in Maryland, South Carolina and Washington, DC, 200 Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadets now have completed our 3D ThinkLink training,” said YouthQuest Co-Founder and President, Lynda Mann. “It’s been a joy to watch this project grow during the past four years.”

The 3D ThinkLink Initiative helps students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, creativity and confidence as they learn about 3D design and printing. The knowledge they gain gives our graduates an advantage in the tech-driven job market where demand for 3D design and printing skills is growing fast. Most important, they learn that failure is not final – a lesson that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.

YouthQuest launched the project at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in early 2013. Later that year, the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy joined, followed by South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy in 2014.

Advanced students assemble JellyBox 3D printer kits in the 3D Thinklink Creativity Lab January 2016
Lab Week January 2016

This year began with eight top graduates participating in a week of advanced training at our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab in Chantilly, Virginia. They did hands-on research evaluating 3D scanners and assembling JellyBox 3D printer kits.

Our training for all ChalleNGe Cadets includes a four-hour community service project and a full day of Vocational Orientation visits to businesses and schools where 3D design and printing is used. This year’s destinations included some old favorites such as 3D Systems and the University of Maryland’s Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Lab, as well as new ones such as The Foundery and Under Armour’s Lighthouse innovation center in Baltimore.

“Being involved in 3D ThinkLink makes me think about the different opportunities I have,” said Freestate grad Josh Nembhard. “Being here gives you a better chance of going somewhere, for example, college or getting a job.”

Our new Youth Mentor Program offers graduates the opportunity to continue their 3D ThinkLInk experience by sharing what they’ve learned with their family, friends and neighbors. Beginning with Immersion Lab Week in January 2017, we will provide the equipment and training for our most qualified students to drive positive change in their communities by serving as Youth Mentors. Funding for the program launched this summer is already halfway to the $15,000 goal.

3D ThinkLink students at Vocational Orientation at University of Maryland Biomaterials Lab
Vocational Orientation at University of Maryland Biomaterials Lab

We also encourage our graduates to continue their education by awarding scholarships to those who write the best essays about how our training has affected them personally.  Four students earned $500 scholarships in 2016; Trevon Ahl and Alycia Freeman from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and Brock Jasmann and Aunya’ Jones from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy.

“3D printing has helped guide me into making better decisions and gave me a new life skill along the way. It has really helped me understand my self-worth because now I know I can design my own future,” Aunya’ wrote in her award-winning essay. “I now see the bigger picture to my life’s problems and I’m not afraid to face them.”

PHILLIPS AND HORIZONS

Building on the success of our work with Youth ChalleNGe Academies, YouthQuest expanded the 3D ThinkLink Initiative to reach more youth programs in 2016

The PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families began semester-long 3D ThinkLink classes for high school students on the autism spectrum as well as those with mental health issues at its school in Annandale, Virginia, in the spring and will launch classes at its Fairfax campus in early 2017. 

“It’s made a big difference to our staff and to our students,” PHILLIPS Career Partners Director Lindsay Harris said. “These are students that have failed often in the classroom and they don’t always have the confidence that they can learn and be successful. This program really gives them that.”

According to the PHILLIPS Program Final Evaluation Report, the spring pilot program was a success, especially in the areas of student engagement, curriculum implementation and staff support. Lynda Mann credited the excellent work done by the PHILLIPS staff, especially teachers Samuel Son, Jim Field and Marcel Baynes.

“Their ability to recognize the innate creativity in these special-needs youth, and to use the 3D ThinkLink curriculum as a valuable way for the students to express themselves creatively while facilitating growth in critical thinking and problem solving, was brilliant,” she said. 

3D ThinkLink also took root and started growing in Virginia’s Tidewater region this year. We trained teachers and provided the curriculum and materials for Horizons Hampton Roads to run 3D classes for sixth graders as part of its six-week summer enrichment program.

This fall, teacher Franklin Baker used what he learned during the summer to create a course for older students. Horizons’ High School Scholars successfully completed their 3D class in December.

A REWARDING YEAR

2016 Step Up Loudoun Youth winning teams
2016 Step Up winning teams

2016 was the fifth straight year YouthQuest sponsored the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition.  The event organized by Louduon Youth, Inc. challenges middle school and high school students to identify problems in Loudoun County, Virginia, and create solutions. Local business and civic leaders judge the projects and YouthQuest donates most of the prize money.

This year’s Step Up contest drew more entries than ever and we hope for an even larger field of competitors in 2017.

This year’s many accomplishments would not be possible without YouthQuest’s generous supporters.

The Challenge at Trump National Golf Club August 2016
The Challenge at Trump National

The annual golf tournament was our most successful fundraiser. There were more sponsors than ever and more than 100 players took part in the event on August 8 at Trump National Golf Club’s Championship Course in Potomac Falls, Virginia, recently named one of Golf Digest’s best new private courses.  

At the annual VIP Reception a few days before the tournament, we recognized AOC’s Valerie Hightower as our 2016 Volunteer of the Year. The 2016 Community Partner Award went to Duncan-Parnell, Inc. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington received the 2016 Strategic Partner Award.  

Lynda Mann with Volunteer of the Year Valerie Hightower August 2016
Lynda Mann with Volunteer of the Year Valerie Hightower

Donors stepped up during the golf tournament and VIP Reception to get the ball rolling on funding the Youth Mentor Program.

Our participation for the first time in #GivingTuesday, a global celebration of charity on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, also gave our year-end fundraising a boost.

Contributions are welcome at any time of year, of course. Please click here or contact Operations Manager Juan Louro, who joined us on the first workday of 2016, at juan.louro@youthquestfoundation.org or 703-234-6300.

The Year in Pictures

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3D ThinkLink Essay Contest Winners Earn Scholarships

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3D ThinkLink essay contest scholarship winners Brock Jasmann and Aunya’ Jones from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink class at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy did more than teach Brock Jasmann and Aunya’ Jones about 3D design and printing.

“3D printing has helped guide me into making better decisions and gave me a new life skill along the way. It has really helped me understand my self-worth because now I know I can design my own future,” Aunya’, 17, wrote in her award-winning essay. “I now see the bigger picture to my life’s problems and I’m not afraid to face them.”

“I can make anything if I put my mind to it,” wrote Brock, 17, who described his 3D ThinkLink experience as “awe-inspiring.”

Both Cadets were awarded $500 scholarships for their essays during a ceremony at Freestate on December 9.

Aunya Jones and Brock Jasmann try blacksmithing during Vocational Orientation at The Foundery in Baltimore
Aunya’ and Brock try blacksmithing during a Vocational Orientation tour of  The Foundery in Baltimore

Our program “transformed my way of thinking,” said Aunya’, who plans to join the Navy and become a nurse.

“Before 3D printing I did not believe in myself, and I had accepted the opinion that I was not good enough,” she explained.

Like most of the at-risk youth we serve, Aunya doubted herself when she started our class this fall.

“Everything seemed so foreign to me. I could barely work the program on the computer,” she recalled.

When she printed her first 3D design and it came out nothing like she had intended, she admitted feeling frustrated and wanting to give up. Instead, she made up her mind to work harder so she could “make things that I could be proud to show off.”

Aunya’ started paying close attention to every instruction, asking questions and testing every new design skill she learned.

“One day my instructor Mrs. Metzger said that my design was the only successful one to print. It brought me so much joy because that meant that I was finally getting it,” she wrote. “Joining 3D printing has taught me to never give up.”

Brock’s essay highlighted the effect his class’s community service project had on his self-esteem.

The Freestate Cadets went to a library to demonstrate designing and 3d printing small, personalized objects such as ornaments and keychain tags. 

“It was an amazing experience to see how interested and impressed the kids and adults were at the library when we showed them how to make 3D prints,” wrote Brock.

“3D printing is important to me because now I can express myself in a form of art that I’m talented in. Also, I am more able to educate my community through my new learned skill in 3D printing,” added Brock, who wants to become a Marine.

Brock and Aunya’s essays were chosen from among 13 submitted by students from Freestate, DC’s Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academies. The semi-annual scholarship competition is judged by bestselling author John Gilstrap, whose novels include the Jonathan Grave thriller series.

CLICK HERE to read the complete essays

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