Freestate ChalleNGe Academy – The YouthQuest Foundation

The YouthQuest Foundation Year in Review: 2019

December 27, 2019 stevep Promo

3D ThinkLink teachers from Freestate, Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGE Academies with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks

Teachers are at the heart of our mission to change the lives of at-risk youth. That’s why, as we roll the closing credits for 2019, our 3D ThinkLink instructors top the list of people who played starring roles for the YouthQuest Foundation this year.

Thanks to the teachers we trained at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs serving Maryland, South Carolina and the District of Columbia, 57 more cadets completed our 3D ThinkLink class this year. That brings the total number of Youth ChalleNGe cadets we’ve reached to more than 300 since 2013, when we began using 3D printing as a vehicle to teach underserved teens job skills and life skills.

Jamarr Dennis, Demyound Wright and Germaine Rasberry at 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training in February 2019 — *Teacher Training, February 2019*

This year’s instructors were: Germaine Rasberry and Demyond Wright from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy; Jamarr Dennis and Aaron Ancrum from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy; Keith Hammond and La-Toya Hamilton from DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

In addition to carrying out many other responsibilities at their schools, these teachers devoted time to conduct classes and print students’ projects, organize 3D-printing community service projects, and transport their cadets to Vocational Orientation field trips. They also traveled to our lab in Chantilly Virginia, in February and September to sharpen their skills at teacher training sessions. In June and November, they returned with top students selected for Advanced Training, which provided hands-on learning experiences to prepare the cadets for continued education and careers in 3D printing.

PHILLIPS Schools

As with the ChalleNGe programs, workforce development became a new priority this year in our partnership with the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families.

The PHILLIPS teachers we trained have used their 3D ThinkLink skills to tailor our curriculum for their students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These students often have great attention to detail, deep focus, tenacity, pattern recognition and outside-the-box thinking skills that help them excel at 3D design and printing.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks is working closely with Sam Son, who oversees the 3D classes at PHILLIPS, to identify employment opportunities for young people with ASD.

PHILLIPS student Ladrious Eaton works with YouthQuest's powder/binder 3D printer — *PHILLIPS student Ladrious works on the iTech project*

A highlight of the year was a project Tom organized to demonstrate how we can help teens on the autism spectrum develop skills to become independent, successful adults.

PHILLIPS teachers Jim Field and Joseph Phillips brought Henry, Ladrious and John, students from the Annandale and Fairfax, Virginia, campuses, to our lab in June to be part of a unique cross-country collaboration with kids at a STEM-focused magnet school in Vancouver, Washington.

Award-winning teacher John Zingale’s 7^th and 8^th graders at iTech Preparatory did 3D scanning of 19^th-century artifacts from the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to create an interactive virtual museum. But they had no way to make realistic, full-color replicas of the scanned artifacts that could be handled and studied without fear of damaging the originals. Tom arranged to have the PHILLIPS students use one of the powder/binder 3D printers in YouthQuest’s lab to create the reproductions for iTech.

Over the course of three days, Henry, Ladrious and John mastered every step of the process: taking in the 3D image files; preparing the files in the printing software; setting up and operating the printer; post-processing the printed objects; and packaging them for shipping to Vancouver.

Henry, John and Ladrious with box of 3D printed artifact replicas to ship to Vancouver iTech Prep — *Henry, John and Ladrious*

It was especially gratifying to have Henry involved in the iTech project. He was in our first 3D class at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale and attended a week of advanced training in our lab in 2017. Henry, who says he wants to be “a tech guru,” graduated from PHILLIPS in June.

The Mighty, a website that connects and empowers millions of people facing disabilities and health challenges, featured this article about the difference our program has made in Henry’s life.

The iTech project came full-circle when “Mr. Z” and some of his students visited our lab while they were in the DC area for the National History Day Contest. PHILLIPS Career Partners Director Lindsay Harris was there to let the students from Vancouver know how much the team from her school appreciated working with them.

Volunteers, Partners and Sponsors

In keeping with this year’s focus on teachers, it’s fitting that our Volunteer of the Year is a teacher.

2019 Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams with YouthQuest Foundation Co-Founders Allen Cage and Lynda Mann at VIP Reception August 1, 2019 — *Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams*

YouthQuest Co-Founders Lynda Mann and Allen Cage presented the award to Chris Adams, a Technology Education teacher at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly at our annual VIP Reception in August. Chris has been sharing his expertise with us for several years. This year, he facilitated the donation of two Z310 powder/binder 3D printers from Fairfax County Public Schools, our 2019 Community Partner Award winner. The professional-grade printers are vital to our job-training initiative.

Our 2019 Strategic Partner Award went to University of Maryland Terrapin Works in appreciation for hosting Vocational Orientation tours of the school’s 3D printing facilities and department of mechanical engineering for Capital Guardian cadets twice a year.

Harford Community College continues to be a valuable resource for our Freestate cadets, as David Antol provides tours of the school’s 3D printing lab. During a Vocational Orientation event in October, they got to meet Maxwell Herzing, a 2018 Freestate graduate who’s now one of Prof. Antol’s Engineering Technology students. Maxwell’s message to the cadets about the importance of doing something you love and not being afraid to make mistakes was right on the mark.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadet Ka’Dejah Riley with other 3D ThinkLink students at Vocational Orientation at University of North Carolina-Charlotte 3D printing lab — *Vocational Orientation at UNCC*

Dr. Jeff Raquet at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Department of Mechanical Engineering and the 3D printing team at Duncan-Parnell in Charlotte provided valuable Vocational Orientation experiences for our 3D ThinkLink classes from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

All the success we’ve enjoyed this year would not be possible without the financial support of our sponsors. We were pleased to welcome DFS Construction Corporation and DCG Dominion Construction Group as first-time sponsors of our annual golf tournament in August, along with returning sponsors AOC Solutions, FEDAC, the Poole Foundation, the POH Group, Kipps DeSanto, Insperity, Gombos-Leyton, Jones Lang LaSalle, Old Dominion National Bank, CrossFit PR Star and Valley Forge Acquisition Corp.

2019 YouthQuest golf tournament volunteers at Trump National Golf Club Aug. 5. 2019 — *Golf tournament volunteers*

We’re also grateful to our golf tournament volunteers — Linda Ackerman, Emily Blake, Rachel Cage, Edna Davis, Nikki Gombos, Rob Hall, Val Hightower, Steve Levenson, Ingrid Louro and Tony Sanderson – along with the entire team at Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC.

Because of the contributions everyone has made to our mission this year, we’ve been able to help at-risk teens break the cycle of failure and get on course for success.

Three of this year’s students from SCYCA earned $1,000 scholarships for essays they wrote about what their 3D ThinkLink experience taught them.

“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.” – Naomi Perez

“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.” – Ka’Dejah Riley

“I can do anything … nothing is beyond my reach.” – Hunter Lusby

The Year in Photos

YouthQuest Charity Golf tourney, Trump National Golf Course, Sterling, VA, on Monday, August 5, 2019.

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3D ThinkLink Advanced Training Focuses on Job Readiness

December 12, 2019 stevep Promo

3D ThinkLink Advanced Training November 2019

The 3D ThinkLink students chosen to attend Advanced Training in our Northern Virginia lab gain valuable experience they can’t get in their classrooms at Youth ChalleNGe academies.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and 3D ThinkLink Advanced Training students from Freestate and Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies — *Tom Meeks and the cadets*

Last month’s sessions were more focused than ever before on preparing our students to compete for jobs that require 3D design and printing skills. They worked with professional-level equipment and learned about digital fabrication processes that go far beyond the simple, plastic-extrusion 3D printing they did on campus.

Cadets Hassan Lancaster and Jesse Henriquez from the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and Cian Moody and Christian White from Maryland Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, enjoyed four days of intensive learning in the lab with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

We prepared for the week by studying current job postings to make sure every activity we planned was relevant to what’s happening now in the fast-growing and ever-changing world of advanced manufacturing.

3D ThinkLink students repair a Z310 3D printer during Advanced Training November 2019 — *Repairing a Z310 3D printer*

One highlight of the week came courtesy of our 2019 Community Partner Award winner, Fairfax County Public Schools, which donated two used Z Corp 310 powder/binder 3D printers to our lab. We’ve had one of them running since summer, but the other hadn’t been in operation for years. The cadets eagerly took it apart, cleaned and serviced it and did some troubleshooting. By the end of their first day in the lab, they had brought the old 310 back to life.

We were also pleased that YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz was able to join us one morning to show the students how a desktop CNC machine works.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is an example of traditional subtractive manufacturing. A cutting tool spinning at high speed carves an object out of a block of material. In additive manufacturing (3D printing), a moving print head deposits material in patterns, layer by layer, to form an object without any waste.

YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz with 3D ThinkLink students from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy at Advanced Training November 2019 — *YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz with students at Advanced Training*

In watching both processes side by side, our students learned that CNC and 3D printing are really two sides of the same coin. In both cases, the tool’s movement is guided by digital instructions called G-codes. The same design files our students create for 3D printing with Moment of Inspiration CAD (Computer Aided Design) software can be used to make objects with a CNC machine. Rapid prototyping shops and other digital fabrication businesses use a combination of additive and subtractive methods, so the CAD skills our students learn are doubly valuable to those employers.

Tom and the students got to try out a new Matter and Form 3D scanner that arrived just in time for Lab Week. Scanning is an alternative to CAD for creating virtual objects to be printed.

The students also got a taste of 3D printing with ceramics, something few people in the field have tried. Thanks to our Advanced Training, they can say they’re familiar with two methods of printing ceramics – powder and liquid resin – as well as using microscopes to examine the ceramic powder and a kiln to fire the printed pieces.

After four days of hard work, the cadets had an impressive list of experiences to add their resumés.

3D Printer Operation, Maintenance and Troubleshooting
– Operated SLA resin printer
– Repaired FDM (plastic filament) printers
– Repaired and serviced Z Corp 310 and 450 powder/binder printers
– Designed parts and printed them on Z450 full-color powder/binder printer
– Handled gypsum and ceramic powders

3D ThinkLink student Christian White from Freestate ChalleNGE Academy cleans 3D-printed ceramic parts during Advanced Training November 2019 — *Cleaning 3D-printed ceramic parts*

Post-Processing 3D Printed Parts
– Curing, support removal, sanding of SLA printed parts
– Depowdering and coating of powder/binder printed parts

Kiln Operation
– Performed ramp and hold firings of 3D-printed ceramic parts

Microscope Camera and Software
– Used focus stacks for ceramic powder particle distribution tests

CNC Machining
– Operated Carbide Nomad desktop CNC machine

Software
– Experience with Moment of Inspiration (CAD) and Cura slicing software

While all four cadets are interested in engineering, each has his own unique career path in mind. We wrapped up the week with a resumé review session, taking time to go over each student’s situation and tailor a plan for their next steps – community college, trade school, employment, military service or a combination of those.

Tom Meeks with 3D ThinkLink students from Freestate and Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies on the final day of Advanced Training November 2019 — *It wasn’t ALL hard work!*

The cadets reviewed listings of jobs for which they’re already qualified and practiced answering job interview questions in ways that will impress hiring managers.

These young men have compelling stories to tell prospective employers about overcoming mistakes and turning their lives around.

Now, as they graduate from the ChalleNGe program and open new chapters, they will continue striving to achieve their career goals with the failure-is-not-final attitude we have instilled in them throughout their 3D ThinkLink experience.

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You can support our work by:
Making a donation to YouthQuest through our secure PayPal link
Choosing YouthQuest as your designated charity on AmazonSmile
Registering on Bidding for Good so you can take part in our online auctions, sign up for our golf tournament, and support other upcoming fundraisers
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Scholarship Contest Judge Praises Student Essays

December 28, 2018 stevep Blog

3D ThinkLink scholarship essay contest winner Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega with Freestate ChalleNGe Academy instructor Jamarr Dennis and YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks

Awarding scholarships is YouthQuest’s primary means of helping at-risk youth pursue job training or higher education after they complete our 3D ThinkLink class.

Twenty-two graduates of National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs have earned a total of $12,500 in scholarships since 2013 for essays they wrote about our training’s impact on their lives.

The latest winners are Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, Caleb Pearson from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy and Chigaru Todd from the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. Each of them earned $1,000 to use for their continued education. All three were honored at ceremonies in mid-December at the end of their 22-week class cycle.

Author John Gilstrap, essay contest judge — *Author and contest judge John Gilstrap*

New York Times bestselling novelist John Gilstrap, author of the acclaimed Jonathan Grave thriller series, is the contest judge. He said he was pleased by the increase in the quality and quantity of the essays in this round of competition.

This was the first class cycle since John took part in an all-day meeting with the YouthQuest staff during the summer to discuss improving the results of the scholarship contest. It was part of the application process for the Drucker Prize, an award named for management expert Peter Drucker that recognizes innovation by nonprofit organizations.

Using the Drucker Institute’s resources, we took steps aimed at generating more high-quality essays including; telling cadets about the scholarship opportunity earlier in the class cycle, doubling the prize amount from $500 to $1,000, and providing clearer guidance for students and teachers.

John recorded some short videos to give students advice about writing their essays. He urged them not to turn in a laundry list of the cool things they made and saw.

“What I want to read about is how the 3D ThinkLink experience has affected your life,” he told them, “what it’s taught you about success and failure.”

‘My Path in Life Is Not Ultimately Decided by My Mistakes’

When Caleb Pearson first heard about 3D printing a few years ago, he assumed that it required “genius level skills in mathematics.” Caleb, who said he was never very good at math, was pleased to discover that he was able to create a 3D object after just three lessons in our class at South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

3D ThinkLInk scholarship winner Caleb Pearson from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks at Immersion Lab Week November 2018 — *Caleb Pearson with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks in Lab*

Caleb explained in his scholarship-winning essay that our training also taught him a larger lesson.

“The key phrase during the class: mistakes are not final, nothing is so bad that you can’t come back from it,” he wrote. “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,” added Caleb, who hopes those open doors will lead to a career in engineering. He said his Vocational Orientation visit to the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in October “really solidified my resolve to pursue that career path.”

In his essay – and in this video recorded during Immersion Lab Week in November – Caleb recalled meeting Nathan Lambert, a graduate research assistant who helped lead the tour at UNCC. Like Caleb, Nathan said he struggled with math in high school and, in fact, he barely graduated. But his determination to become an engineer after six years in the military drove him to eventually become a top grad student in his department.

That was something “I could really relate to but had never heard before,” Caleb wrote.

Hearing Nathan’s story “lifted my spirits about my future in the engineering field,” he said.

‘I No Longer See Things With a Simple Mind’

Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega’s 3D ThinkLink experience didn’t start as well as Caleb’s did.

Eric Smith explains various types of welding to Cadet Stephanie Alvarez-Vega during the Vocational Orientation tour of The Foundery for our 3D ThinkLink students from Maryland's Freestate ChalleNGe Academy on October 9, 2018 in Baltimore. — *Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega at The Foundery*

“At first I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice” by picking 3D instead of the welding program at Freestate, she wrote.

“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!” Sthephanie recalled.

Her thinking turned around when the Freestate class visited The Foundery, an industrial makerspace in Baltimore, for Vocational Orientation.

While the cadets were looking at the many kinds of machines Foundery members can use, Sthephanie met Festus Jones III, a local craftsman who was working on laser-engraving projects. She asked him what he was doing, and he spent lots of time explaining how he creates elaborate designs and etches them into mirrors with a laser to make things like lighted signs for storefronts. He encouraged her to be confident in her artistic skills and learn the technical skills to create products she can sell.

“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,” said Sthephanie. She also talked about her “lightbulb moment” in this video from November Immersion Lab.

Looking back on her time in our class, Sthephanie said she appreciates how 3D printing lets her use her imagination and “think freely”

“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,” Sthephanie wrote. “I no longer see things with a simple mind.”

3D ThinkLink scholarship winner Chigaru Todd with 3D printers at Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy — *Chigaru Todd with 3D printers at CGYCA*

“One of my ultimate life goals is to be able to help my father financially by becoming self-sufficient,” wrote Capital Guardian’s Chigaru Todd, who grew up without a mom. “I watched him struggle to raise me as a young female. I believe that everything I do is in honor of my father.”

Chigaru described being “intrigued” by Moment of Inspiration 3D design software and feeling “empowered” after completing the first project in class, a personalized keychain tag.

“I plan to take the skills I learned from 3D printing and utilize them in my personal life,” Chigaru continued. “I hope to design personalized 3D print items that will provide another stream of income as an entrepreneur.”

A New Dimension in Performance

The key to YouthQuest’s future success is providing the at-risk teens we serve with more opportunities for vocational and academic achievement.

We’ve made our scholarship competition a priority because that’s where we can have the biggest immediate impact in helping former high school dropouts become successful, productive adults.

The changes we’ve made in the contest grew out of the discussions we had in crafting our application for the Drucker Prize, which rewards nonprofits that best exemplify business management expert Peter Drucker’s definition of innovation: “Change that creates a new dimension of performance.”

In doing so, we had to draw on the same critical thinking and problem-solving skills we teach at-risk youth through the 3D ThinkLink Initiative. We believe our innovative ideas will create a new dimension of performance for our organization and our students.

We hope the outstanding essays we received during the latest class cycle are an indication that the changes we’ve made will significantly increase the number of students who compete for scholarships, and the quality of their entries, in 2019 and beyond.

Click Here to Read the Three Winning Essays

YouthQuest’s Five Favorite Memories of 2018

December 20, 2018 stevep Blog

3D ThinkLink students from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy at University of Maryland Terrapin Works April 2018 Vocational Orientation

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We thank our supporters for making these moments possible through their contributions.
You can support our work by:
Making a donation through our secure PayPal link
Choosing us as your designated charity on AmazonSmile
Registering on Bidding for Good so you can take part in our online auctions, sign up for our golf tournament, and support other upcoming fundraisers
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As we wrap up an eventful year filled with accomplishments, here’s a look back at the YouthQuest Foundation’s most memorable moments.

Success for More At-Risk Teens

Sixty-five cadets from National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs completed our 3D ThinkLink training this year. We taught these at-risk youth to think differently about failure and success as they prepare to enter the job market or pursue higher education.

3D ThinkLink students from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy receive awards December 2018 — *Click picture to see more photos*

Our classes help students develop sought-after STEM skills through hands-on experience with professional-level CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, 3D printers and computers. In addition, the trial-and-error nature of 3D printing teaches our students about critical thinking, problem-solving, perseverance, resilience, creativity and collaboration. These “soft skills” are even more valuable to employers than the technical skills.

3D ThinkLink training takes place during the two annual class cycles at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy and the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. Instructors from the schools come to our lab in Chantilly, Virginia, twice a year to update their skills and help us constantly improve the 3D ThinkLink experience.

Nearly 300 ChalleNGe cadets have completed 3D ThinkLink training since we launched the project in 2013. We have reached many more young people through our partnerships with the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families at schools in Fairfax and Annandale, Virginia, for students with autism and other special needs; and with Horizons Hampton Roads, serving low-income children in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

This year, we rewarded 13 cadets for their outstanding performance in class by bringing them to our lab for a week of advanced training. Seven students earned scholarships for the essays they wrote about the impact the 3D ThinkLink experience had on their lives. The 2018 essay competition winners are: Caleb Pearson ($1,000) from SCYCA; Chigaru Todd ($1,000) and Jacob Foote ($500) from CGYCA; Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega ($1,000), Bradley Berry, Trevor Haney and Dante Isom ($500) from Freestate.

A Chance Encounter, a Lightbulb Moment

We put a lot of planning into Vocational Orientation to make sure our students get the most out of the events, which show them how 3D printing is used at businesses and universities. But sometimes the best parts of these field trips are unscripted. Freestate Instructor Jamarr Dennis recalled the moment during a Vocational Orientation tour of The Foundery in Baltimore that “the lightbulb went on” for Cadet Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega when she struck up a conversation with craftsman/entrepreneur Festus Jones.

Vocational Orientation and Inspiration

Like Sthephanie, South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Caleb Pearson attended Immersion Lab training and earned a scholarship in the essay contest. And like her, Caleb was unexpectedly inspired by someone he met during Vocational Orientation. Nathan Lambert, a top graduate student, helped guide the SCYCA group through the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Mechanical Engineering Department in October. Toward the end of the tour, Nathan told the cadets that he’d hated high school and barely graduated, but after serving in the military, he discovered his passion for engineering and learned to excel in college. “It made me feel really confident,” said Caleb, an aspiring engineer who once struggled in school. “If this man has made it this far in his life … and I want to be exactly where he is, I can do it.”

Stepping Up With Loudoun Youth

The YouthQuest Foundation has been the prize money sponsor for the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition every year since 2012. The contest, run by Loudoun Youth, Inc. and Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services, challenges teams of teens in Loudoun County, Virginia, to identify problems in their communities, then develop and implement solutions.

We have been so impressed by Step Up’s results that we doubled our contribution to $5,000 this year. YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann made the announcement at the preliminary round of competition for more than 60 teams on April 5.

This year’s winning team, Princess Packages, started a volunteer organization to lift the spirits of young girls who suffer from sadness and isolation during long hospital stays. Other top-10 team projects included a tutoring and mentoring program for elementary school students, a chatbot app to help immigrants to improve their English language skills and study for the U.S. citizenship exam, and a networking service to connect teens with employment and volunteer opportunities.

Teams for next year’s Step Up contest have already formed and we can’t wait to see what projects they create in the spring.

Recognition for Innovation

YouthQuest Operations Manager Juan Louro, President Lynda Mann and Communications Director Steve Pendlebury send Drucker Prize semifinal round submission — *Operations Manager Juan Louro, President Lynda Mann and Communications Director Steve Pendlebury send Drucker Prize semifinal submission form*

We are honored to have been chosen as one of the 50 semifinalists for this year’s Drucker Prize, a $100,000 award for innovation by nonprofit organizations.

Our presentation about the 3D ThinkLink Initiative was selected from among more than 500 entries nationwide for the prize, which recognizes nonprofits that best exemplify business management legend Peter Drucker’s definition of innovation: “Change that creates a new dimension of performance.”

This was our third year competing for the Drucker Prize and each time, we get a little farther. We look forward to entering the contest again in 2019.

These excerpts from our Drucker Prize presentation sum up the principles that will continue to drive our organization in the year ahead.

The YouthQuest Foundation exists to help America’s at-risk youth become successful adults by changing the way they think about their past failures and providing opportunities for them to fulfill their potential through education and life-changing experiences.

The at-risk youth we serve – minorities, kids with disabilities and those from low-income families – make up a disproportionate share of America’s dropouts. They’re on a path that leads to poverty and even prison.

The kids we serve once saw themselves as failures. We help change their perception of failure, and of themselves, by offering an innovative way to get them on course to a better life.

Fall 2018 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

December 18, 2018 stevep Blog

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

________________________________________

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.

At-Risk Teens Learn Life Lessons in YouthQuest’s 3D Lab

December 11, 2018 stevep News

3D ThinkLink Lab Week November 2018 students

For some of our top students, Immersion Lab Week is both the culmination of their 3D ThinkLink experience and a springboard for them to leap into the next stage of their lives.

Thirteen cadets from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy traveled to YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab in Chantilly, Virginia, for advanced training this year.

3D ThinkLink students do 3D scanning experiments during Immersion Lab Week in May — *Students from Maryland, DC, and South Carolina do 3D scanning experiments during Immersion Lab Week in May*

3D ThinkLink instructors at the academies select deserving cadets twice a year, near the end of the ChalleNGe programs’ class cycles. Coming so close to graduation, Lab Week gives the at-risk teens we serve a chance to see how far they’ve come and focus on what’s next.

“We do this to see how we’ve done in teaching the students, to introduce them to new experiences they didn’t get in their regular classes at the academies, and to show them where they can go from here,” explained YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks, who leads the advanced training sessions.

On one level, Lab Week is a reward for the cadets’ outstanding performance in 3D class. Spending their days immersed in 3D learning and creativity is a welcome break from the regimented routine of their academies. Plus, they’re delighted to stay in a nice hotel instead of their barracks for a few nights.

“It helped me expand my imagination,” said Freestate Cadet Jessie Hickman. “We can make just about anything we can imagine. It’s really cool.”

Freestate Cadets Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega and Jessie Hickman with 3D ThinkLink instructor Aaron Ancrum at November Immersion Lab Week — *Freestate Cadets Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega and Jessie Hickman with instructor Aaron Ancrum at November Lab Week*

Our lab is where Jessie and his fellow students got their first chance to work with a 3D scanner and a full-color powder-bed 3D printer last month.

“When I found out you can 3D print what you scan, I wanted to take the most complicated thing and see if I could print it,” he said.

The November Lab group evaluated the new 3D scanning features of Sony’s Xperia XZ1 phone. In May, students worked with several kinds of handheld scanners, cameras and Cappasity 3D visualization software. Both groups experimented with various scanning and lighting techniques to develop “best practices” recommendations for the manufacturers, which they presented in panel discussion videos.

Soft Skills and Hard Work

Along with exploring 3D scanning, both Lab Week groups dug deeper into the capabilities of their Moment of Inspiration design software, going beyond what they had time to do during their on-campus classes. They took on some challenging projects and, in the process of completing them, had to practice the life skills that are at the heart of our 3D ThinkLink Initiative.

“3D changes your perspective on things. If you want to design something, you have to think about it before you start, plan it all out in your head,” explained Capital Guardian Cadet Ashley Walker in our lab last month. “It taught me patience because I’m not a patient person. Don’t get frustrated with every new thing, because you can do it!”

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Cassie Myers works with other 3D ThinkLink students to test a handheld 3D scanner during Lab Week in May — *Cassie Myers works with other cadets to test a handheld 3D scanner during Immersion Lab Week in May*

“I like hands-on stuff, so being here I can actually involve myself by working,” said South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Cassie Myers during her week in the lab in May. “I used to struggle a lot with working with people. This has helped me with that. We have to work together to get a project done. Teamwork makes the dream work!”

Freestate’s Trevor Haney, who earned a YouthQuest scholarship in June for the essay he wrote about his 3D ThinkLink experience, also enjoyed getting to know and work with students from other ChalleNGe programs. In addition to teamwork, the program taught him our most important lesson: Failure is not final.

“Before, if something didn’t turn out right or the way I wanted, I would just give up,” said Trevor. “But being in 3D and being here these past couple of days, I’ve learned you can re-do something. And if it fails, change something. It will fix the whole thing and make it better each time.”

Persistence, collaboration, innovative thinking, problem solving and communication are among the “soft skills” our program instills in at-risk youth, along with the “hard skills” of using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software and 3D printers. It’s a combination that’s prized by employers.

A scan of 3D ThinkLink student Daniel Fickens from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy made with a Sony Xperia phone during Immersion Lab Week in November 2018 — *A scan of Daniel Fickens made during Lab Week in November*

Students like Daniel Fickens from SCYCA, who wants a career in the construction industry, know their 3D ThinkLink skills will strengthen their resumes. When they’re asked to give examples of their qualifications in job interviews, they’ll be able to talk about what they did during Lab Week.

“At first, looking at the stuff you had built, I never thought it would be me getting on a computer and doing it myself,” said Daniel after seeing 3D-printed architectural models of homes and commercial buildings in our lab. “Knowing 3D printing can help me in construction moving forward.”

Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega was hesitant to take our class at first because she’d already been picked for the welding program at Freestate.

“I’m glad I didn’t choose welding because I wouldn’t have had all these great experiences in 3D class. This is going to help me a whole lot in finding a job,” she said. “Like putting this on my resume. Imagine someone who’s bilingual with 3D printing experience. I have more of a chance to have a good career.”

‘Break Things, Make Things and Try Things’

The students in the May Lab group heard some valuable career-planning advice during their visit to 3D printer manufacturer M3D.

J.J. Biel-Goebel leads a tour of M3D for Lab Week students in May 2018 — *J.J. Biel-Goebel leads a tour of M3D for Lab Week students in May*

“Break things, make things and try things. And don’t be afraid to fail at all because that’s where you’re going to learn the most,” Chief Operating Officer J.J. Biel-Goebel told the cadets as he showed them around M3D’s research and production facility in Fulton, Maryland. “And don’t give up. That’s the other important thing. Keep bashing your head against the wall until you figure it out.”

He explained that “we fail a lot” in the process of prototyping new kinds of 3D printers – and each failure leads to an improvement in the next version of the design.

Biel-Goebel said that’s why he asks all job applicants to talk about something they’ve made. He wants them to describe what worked and didn’t work, and what changes they made.

Hiring managers are looking for people who “learn how to learn,” he continued. Taking on projects that require you to teach yourself new skills, as students do throughout their 3D ThinkLink experience, makes you more valuable to an employer.

“Nobody is going to get it right the first time, every time,” he said. “I want someone who knows that, knows what their limitations are, knows what they have to learn, and keeps trying and asking questions.”

‘I Never Thought I’d Experience Anything Like This’

If they come away from our 3D ThinkLink training with nothing else, we want the at-risk teens in our classes to feel better about themselves and know they can succeed, despite past failures.

At the end of last month’s Immersion Lab, cadets talked about their favorite projects from the week. Capital Guardian’s Ashley Walker held up an ornament she created with a small light glowing behind a 3D-printed panel that features Looney Toons character Marvin the Martian with hearts and a poem.

“Marvin looks mean, but he’s not,” told her fellow Lab students. “I tend to get to a place where I get so frustrated that I take out my frustrations on the people I love. … I can be mean sometimes, but this is a lot of love.”

Then she read her poem:

I loved you yesterday
I love you still
I always have
I always will

“I’m grateful that I chose to take the 3D class because back home I never had the chance to experience anything like this,” said Ashley. “I really appreciate it and I never thought I’d experience anything like this. I didn’t know it was possible.”

More Photos From 2018 Immersion Labs

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Students Find Inspiration in Vocational Orientation

October 29, 2018 stevep News

Ian McCormick leads a Vocational Orientation tour of Duncan-Parnell's 3D printing facility in Charlotte, NC, for 3D ThinkLink students from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

Visiting colleges and businesses where 3D printing is used helps our 3D ThinkLink students understand the real-world value of the skills we teach them.

This month, cadets from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy took part in Vocational Orientation events that showed them many potential career paths involving 3D design and printing. They also met inspiring people who encouraged them to aim high as they set their sights on the future.

ChalleNGe Academies are military-style alternative schools that offer at-risk teens a second chance. Most of the students dropped out or were kicked out of regular high schools. So the cadets in our 3D ThinkLink classes probably didn’t expect to have much in common with someone like Nathan Lambert, a top graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Graduate student Nathan Lambert with 3D ThinkLink students from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy on a Vocational Orientation tour of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Department of Mechanical Engineering — *Nathan Lambert leads a tour at UNCC*

But as Nathan helped lead a tour of the university’s Mechanical Engineering Department on October 17, the SCYCA cadets discovered that he’d hated high school and barely managed to graduate. After six years in the military, which included time as a paratrooper in Afghanistan, he came home with new life experiences and a sense of self-discipline. Nathan decided to become a mechanical engineer, even though it meant going back to school for years.

College is different from high school, Nathan told the cadets, because you have more control over your schedule and you can focus on subjects you’re passionate about. He started at a community college and eventually enrolled at UNCC, where his wife Brittney Lambert is also a mechanical engineering grad student. The Lamberts both urged the cadets to think about going to college, even if – like Nathan – they’d never considered it in high school.

UNCC Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Jeff Raquet, who specializes in 3D printing, introduced the cadets to the school’s rocketry team. The students showed the cadets the rocket they’re building for this year’s NASA Student Launch Competition, a project that involves 3D design and printing as well as traditional subtractive manufacturing and many other aspects of engineering. The competitors must design, build and test a reusable rocket that carries a payload a mile high and returns safely to the ground. UNCC won $2,500 for placing second in last year’s competition and is aiming for the top prize of $5,000 this time.

3D ThinkLink students from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy watch a 3D printer work whyile visiting Duncan-Parnell in Charlotte, NC, for Vocational Orientation — *SCYCA Cadets get a close look at one of Duncan-Parnell’s 3D printers*

Also during their visit to Charlotte, the SCYCA cadets toured Duncan-Parnell’s office to see a wide variety of the latest 3D printers. The company has hosted many Vocational Orientation events for our students and received YouthQuest’s Community Partner of the Year award in 2016.

The Freestate 3D ThinkLink students got an impromptu lesson in entrepreneurship while they toured The Foundery in Baltimore. As staffer Eric Smith was showing them the machines, some Foundery members struck up conversations with the cadets and told them what they’ve been able to accomplish by using the industrial makerspace as their own workshop.

There’s no need to get involved in shady hustles on the street, they said, when you can use The Foundery’s equipment to turn a few dollars’ worth of raw material into custom-made products worth hundreds. One craftsman showed off a $13 mirror that he’d laser-engraved with his own design to create a sign he would sell for 10 times as much to a local barbershop.

Eric Smith, who led a Vocational Orientation tour of The Foundery for our 3D ThinkLink students from Maryland's Freestate ChalleNGe Academy on October 9, 2018, shows acrylic panels that were etched by a laser cutter. — *The Foundery’s Eric Smith explains laser engraving to Freestate cadets*

Eric reinforced the message, telling the cadets that what’s most valuable is knowledge. He reminded the cadets that the CAD (computer-aided design) skills they use for 3D printing can also be applied to things like computer-controlled cutting and engraving machines. And you don’t set your product’s price based on how long it takes to make it, he said, but on what your knowledge of how to make it is worth to your customer.

One place where students can gain that valuable knowledge is Harford Community College, where the Freestate cadets began their day of Vocational Orientation on October 9. Professor David Antol showed our students the school’s 3D printing lab and explained the opportunities available for them to build on the skills they’re learning in our introductory 3D ThinkLink course.

David Antol, Coordinator for Applied Technology Programs at Harford Community College, led a Vocational Orientation tour of the school's 3D printing lab for our 3D ThinkLink students from Maryland's Freestate ChalleNGe Academy — *Freestate cadets in Harford Community College’s 3D printing lab*

HCC is one of the few community colleges that emphasizes 3D printing. It offers an associate degree in engineering technology in a program that focuses on applied knowledge of manufacturing processes, along with critical thinking, problem solving and communications skills – all of which are in high demand among employers. The school is also preparing to launch a certificate program in additive manufacturing.

Because HCC offers these programs and is located close to the Freestate campus, it’s an excellent resource for cadets as they make their post-graduation plans.

Like the South Carolina students who visited UNCC, the Capital Guardian cadets’ Vocational Orientation experience included an in-depth look at a major university’s 3D printing operations along with an overview of its mechanical engineering program.

Senior Lab Manager John Fitzell led a Vocational Orientation tour of the University of Maryland's Terrapin Works facilities for 3D ThinkLInk students from DC's Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy — *John Fitzell leads a tour of Terrapin Works*

The students from DC toured the Terrapin Works facilities at the University of Maryland’s main campus in College Park, guided by Senior Lab Manager John Fitzell. He showed them printers that use plastic filament, similar to those they use in class, along with machines that print with specialized materials such as liquid resin, flexible polymers and even metal. Seeing the many different types of printers and the objects they create helped the students understand the applications for each type of 3D printer.

John also took the cadets through some of the labs in Maryland’s recently opened A. James Clark Hall, explaining the projects engineering students complete as they progress through their course of studies, and how they use 3D printing in those projects.

Local Motors National Harbor Customer Engagement Manager Tracye Johnson stands with 3D ThinkLink students from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy in front of a BAAM (Big Area Additive Manufacturing) machine — *Tracye Johnson and CGYCA cadets with the BAAM at Local Motors*

One kind of 3D printer Terrapin Works does not have is the BAAM (Big Area Additive Manufacturing) machine – a giant device with a print bed that’s seven feet wide and 13 feet long that can make objects up to three feet high. The CGYCA cadets saw that machine during their first stop of the day on October 11, when they visited Local Motors at National Harbor. Local Motors uses the BAAM, along with a huge five-axis milling machine to make Olli, a 3D-printed, self-driving electric shuttle bus.

Besides showing our students how 3D-printed vehicles are made, Local Motors Customer Engagement Manager Tracye Johnson introduced them to e-NABLE. It’s a worldwide project that mobilizes people with 3D printers to make prosthetic hands and arms for people who were born missing fingers or who have lost them due to war, disease or disasters. Tracye encouraged the cadets to think about this and other ways they can use their 3D printing skills to help others.

Vocational Orientation is one of our most important tools for changing the lives of our 3D ThinkLink students. The experiences expand the horizons and spark the imaginations of the at-risk youth we serve. Our foundation is deeply grateful to all the organizations that make these events possible.

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3D ThinkLink Initiative Helps At-Risk Youth Build Resilience

August 30, 2018 stevep News

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

July 11, 2018 stevep News

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

July 11, 2018 stevep Blog

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.

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