Tag: Moment of Inspiration

3D ThinkLink Teachers Meet, Learn and Share in Training

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3D ThinkLink teachers completed training in February 2018

The YouthQuest Foundation hosted its largest gathering of teachers for 3D ThinkLink training this month.

Instructors from Maryland’s Freestate, the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academies joined those from the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families for three daylong sessions in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab at our headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia.

“Teacher training was especially significant this time,” said YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks. “The cross-pollination of project ideas from the five different sites using our 3D ThinkLink curriculum was very helpful to our new teachers and rejuvenating to our experienced teachers.”

Germaine Rasberry and Ikeya Robinson from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy set up a PowerSpec 3D printer during teacher training in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab in Chantilly, Virginia, on Feb. 7, 2018.
Germaine Rasberry and Ikeya Robinson set up a 3D printer

The group was evenly split between first-timers and veterans. We were especially pleased to welcome Germaine Rasberry and Ikeya Robinson from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, which is reactivating its 3D ThinkLink classes after a hiatus last year. The other newcomers were Nicole Atchley and Maxine Brown-Davis from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Ellen Brigham from the PHILLIPS School in Fairfax, Virginia, and Hugo Duran from the PHILLIPS School in Annandale.

The returning teachers who brought their experience and insights to the training sessions were Jonathon Brown and Jamarr Dennis from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, CGYCA’s La-Toya Hamilton and Keith Hammond, and Jim Fields and Joseph Phillips from the PHILLIPS schools.

Much of the training time was devoted to reviewing our curriculum, which is built around an innovative noun/verb approach to teaching Moment of Inspiration, a professional-level CAD (computer-aided design) program. This method makes it easy for students to understand 3D design concepts in much the same way that they learn language.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks reviews 3D ThinkLink curriculum updates during teacher training in February 2018
Tom Meeks reviews 3D ThinkLink curriculum updates with teachers

Each lesson introduces a “noun” – a 2D object such as a circle or rectangle – and a “verb” – an action in the CAD software that turns the noun into a 3D object like a pipe or box. The more nouns and verbs the students learn, the more complex their 3D creations can be.

Along with mastering Moment of Inspiration, our teachers must be able to operate 3D printers so students can transform their ideas into tangible objects. It’s essential for them to see how their designs turn out, evaluate problems, make improvements and print again until they’re satisfied.

This is how we teach at-risk kids not to fear mistakes, but to see them as a natural part of the learning process. To do that effectively, we need 3D printers that are simple, fast and reliable, so students don’t get bogged down waiting to see results. That’s why we work to keep up with the latest hardware innovations and find the printers that best meet the needs of our students and teachers.

We are in the process of transitioning from the 3D Systems Cube printers we used the launch our program five years ago to newer, more versatile machines.

The teachers spent a full day working with PowerSpec printers. After setting up and calibrating the machines, they ran test prints and learned common troubleshooting techniques. At the end of training, we gave a PowerSpec i3 Plus printer to each of our five class sites for evaluation.

YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann leads a discussion about student selection during 3D ThinkLink teacher training in February 2018
Lynda Mann gathers ideas about selecting students

The final day of training included a “teachers teach teachers” session. The experienced instructors demonstrated some of the benchmark projects such as cookie cutters and personalized keychain tags that students must complete periodically to show that they understand the nouns and verbs they’ve covered so far. As they go deeper into the curriculum, the projects become more complex.

Besides sessions about the nuts and bolts of 3D design and printing, there was plenty of lively discussion about the best ways to serve the at-risk kids in our classes. It was an opportunity for the teachers to get to know each other and to understand the various needs and strengths of the students.  They learned what’s unique about each partner program, as well as what they have in common.

YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann led discussions about best practices for selecting students for 3D classes, and ways to improve our program and meet the needs of our partner schools. The teachers gave valuable feedback about what’s going well in their classes and what needs improvement.

The February training sessions laid the foundation for what promises to be the best year ever for our 3D ThinkLink Initiative. The teachers returned to their schools energized and ready to apply what they learned in our lab.

Most important, this was a chance to remind everyone – whether they’ve been working with us for years or are just starting – that the real purpose of our program goes far beyond teaching 3D printing. It’s all about using the technology as a vehicle to develop the essential life skills at-risk youth lack. In the process of mastering the CAD software and printers, our students learn that their failures are not final and they can accomplish more than they ever imagined.

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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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Fall 2016 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2016 fall class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Aunya’ Jones
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

The YouthQuest 3D printing program has transformed my way of thinking in a variety of ways. Before 3D printing I did not believe in myself, and I had accepted the opinion that I was not good enough. When I initially signed up for 3D printing I did not expect my mindset to change, but thank God it did. Every part of 3D printing took a part in my change specifically speaking, the vocational training. We learned that 3D printing helps make society so much simpler. The employees at Under Armor and students at the University of Maryland help to make other people’s lives better and that inspired me to improve my outlook on life.

Early on in 3D printing, I did not believe that I would be able to make a successful design. Everything seemed so foreign to me. I could barely work the program on the computer. The very first design I made left me feeling shameful. My design on the screen was nothing like what it printed out in reality. Through that experience I learned that I needed to look at the scale of my work. At times, I became frustrated with myself and wanted to give up because my peers’ designs looked better than mine. The disappointment from my first design forced me to make things that I could be proud to show off in my future designs.

I learned to keep my eyes glued to the screen and pay attention to every instruction given by Mr. Meeks. When I had questions I would ask aloud. Every new noun and verb that we learned I tested it on my designs. I was able to use mathematical conversions to figure out what a millimeter looked like off screen and know how it would be once printed.  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.

Joining 3D printing has taught me to never give up because you will not be satisfied or get where you are intended to be. Starting something is for a purpose and that purpose is not to quit. 3D printing showed me that I cannot always do things on my own and I have to learn the right way first. Mr. Meeks said, “Mistakes are a part of the process to success,” and that is a quote that I will never forget. I now see the bigger picture to my life’s problems and I’m not afraid to face them. I understand that it was not the destination that mattered but the journey I had to take to make it there. 3D printing did more than teach me how to use a program. 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.

_________________________________________

By Brock Jasmann
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

3D printing has been a very awe-inspiring experience to me. I have personally benefited from 3D printing by learning that I can make something complex and visually outstanding by using a couple different tools on Moment of Inspiration. I use the Moment of Inspiration program to make my creative designs, but to me it’s more than just a computer program. I say this because, through the service to the community project, I was given the opportunity to go to a library to teach the community about 3D printing.

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. We printed things such as: books, key chains, arrayed stars with faces, and little Lego shaped men. I taught them about how we use additive manufacturing, which is “a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model[1]”. The impact that 3D printing has not only on me but the community is enormous, fun, and educational.

While visiting employees at Bustin Boards, Under Armor Light House, and The Foundery in Baltimore, Maryland during our Vocational Orientation, I learned how they used 3D printing in their skateboards, clothing, and shoes. For example, Under Armor takes virtual images from athletes’ bodies to make custom clothing to fit their body type based off of the 3D scan. This showed me that 3D printing was for more than just creating small items, it is used in technology to make clothing and everyday items.

“While 3D printing has been successfully used in the health care sector to make prosthetic limbs, custom hearing aids and dental fixtures, the technology is now being used to create more complex structures — particularly human tissue”-Cadie Thompson.[2] Another phenomenal production of 3D printing is that scientists at University of Maryland are making fake working environments for cells to thrive in to replace burnt flesh and scars with a foreign body fat. The fat is then used to fit the affected area. The scientist surgically place the healthy host cells on the body to make the scar completely disappear. This effect of 3D printing is revolutionary because now wounded warriors will have a normal life by no longer having scars exposed and they can have realistic looking prosthetic limbs.

I am ecstatic to know that I can make anything if I put my mind to it. Moment of Inspiration has inspired me to learn more about 3D printing and helped me to teach it to my community. 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. In conclusion, all of these examples are reasons why 3D printing is awe-inspiring to me.

[1] http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

[2] http://www.cnbc.com/id/49348354: Quote cited from CNBC “How 3D Printing is Reshaping Medicine”.

Vocational Orientation Opens Young Eyes to Opportunities

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Students look at a 3D printed architectural model at 3D Systems in Rock Hill, SC, during 3D ThinkLink Vocational Orientation October 20, 2016

Introducing at-risk youth to 3D design and printing is only one part of YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative. Our larger purpose is to help troubled teens learn to think in new ways and dream big.

One way we do that is through Vocational Orientation events, which are a requirement for completion of the 3D ThinkLink training we provide for National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs in South Carolina, Maryland and Washington, DC. Students spend a day touring businesses and universities to see real-world applications for the concepts they’re learning about in class.

During an October 13 Vocational Orientation event, University of Maryland grad student Max Lerner tells 3D ThinkLink students from Maryland and DC about the 3D printers he uses in the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Lab.
3D printers in the University of Maryland Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Lab

Many of the kids we serve have struggled with academics and their life experience is severely limited. Before they enrolled in a ChalleNGe Academy, few imagined themselves pursuing higher education or a career in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math)-related field.

That’s why being in a college lab or a high-tech manufacturing facility for the first time can be a life-changing moment for these at-risk teens. In essays they write about how our 3D ThinkLink training affected their lives, students frequently mention being inspired by something they saw during Vocational Orientation.

In October, our Maryland and DC students enjoyed a full day of eye-opening experiences, starting with a visit to the newly opened City Garage in South Baltimore. The former bus garage has been transformed into a wonderland of innovation, anchored by Under Armour’s Lighthouse, a 35,000-square-foot design and manufacturing center. The UA Lighthouse includes a room equipped with more than 50 cameras for 3D scanning of athletes. Designers use the scans to create individually tailored sportswear. The students also learned that UA uses 3D design and printing to prototype footwear and apparel.

Josh Dunn of Bustin Boards tells 3D ThinkLink students from Maryland and DC how the company designs and builds skateboards during a Vocational Orientation tour in Baltimore on October 13, 2016.
Josh Dunn explains how Bustin Boards makes skateboards

Elsewhere in the City Garage complex, the kids had fun at the Bustin Boards skateboard company. Along with trying out the boards, they discovered that the Moment of Inspiration software they’re learning to use in class is the same type of CAD (Computer Aided Design) program the company’s designers use. That led to a discussion about how CAD skills are needed for both 3D printing, or “additive manufacturing,” in which machines build objects by putting material only where it is needed, and traditional “subtractive manufacturing,” in which machines cut away material to form objects.

All kinds of additive and subtractive manufacturing devices were on display next door at The Foundery, a large makerspace. In the midst of all that modern technology, the kids also got some hands-on experience with one of the oldest manufacturing methods – blacksmithing. After heating, pounding and bending red-hot steel, the kids surely gained an appreciation for 3D software that can turn a simple shape into something useful or decorative with just a few clicks of a mouse.

3D ThinkLink students from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy examine a 3D printed object during a Vocational Orientation visit at Duncan-Parnell's 3D printing shop in Charlotte on October 20, 2016.
Students visit Duncan-Parnell’s 3D printing shop in Charlotte

Students from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy also saw additive and subtractive manufacturing processes in action as they visited Duncan-Parnell’s 3D printing department in Charlotte, NC, 3D Systems headquarters in Rock Hill, SC and the University of South Carolina Department of Mechanical Engineering in Columbia.

The medical uses for 3D printing often strike a chord with our 3D ThinkLink students.

The kids from Maryland’s Freestate and DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies were fascinated to see how 3D printing is used to develop things like bone and vascular replacements in the University of Maryland’s Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Lab.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadets look at a display on 3D printing in medicine during Vocational Orientation tour of 3D Systems in Rock Hill, SC, October 20, 2016.
Medical technology display at 3D Systems

At 3D Systems, the South Carolina students learned about the company’s work in the fast-growing specialty of pre-surgery modeling. A 3D Systems team recently worked with doctors at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York who separated baby brothers joined at the head. They were able to plan and practice every step of the complex surgery thanks to precise 3D-printed models made from MRIs and CT scans of the boys’ skulls.

We often remind students that being exposed to new ideas and experiences literally makes their brains grow, as new connections between neurons are formed. Our field trips also open students’ minds and expand their view of what’s possible. Vocational Orientation events make these at-risk teens aware of opportunities they had never imagined. While they may not end up working on the cutting edge of technology, the thinking skills and confidence they develop during their 3D ThinkLink experience will help them make the most of any opportunity they choose to pursue.

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YouthQuest Teams Up With Horizons Hampton Roads

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YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks with 3D ThinkLink students at Horizons Hampton Roads on July 25, 2016

One of the highlights for The YouthQuest Foundation this summer was the success of our 3D ThinkLink pilot project at Horizons Hampton Roads.

YouthQuest provided the equipment, curriculum and training for teachers to introduce at-risk kids to the magic of 3D printing as part of a six-week summer enrichment program at Portsmouth Catholic Regional School.

Jack Lyons talks with 3D ThinkLink student Amadou Abakar at YouthQuest's 10th anniversary celebration
Jack Lyons talks with 3D ThinkLink student Amadou Abakar at YouthQuest’s 10th anniversary celebration

It was the first time we’ve worked with Horizons Hampton Roads, which serves young people in Virginia’s Tidewater region.

We are grateful to FEDAC’s Jack Lyons for connecting us with Horizons. A longtime member of the AOC Solutions family, Jack knew about YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative and met some of our advanced students during the Foundation’s 10th anniversary celebration last October.

When Jack’s sister, Elaine Lyons, became Program Director of Horizons Hampton Roads in December, he recognized the potential for a partnership. He suggested that she talk to YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann.

Within a matter of weeks, they reached an agreement to bring 3D ThinkLink classes to HHR.

The students and staff were excited about the experience.

Classroom aide Breanna Fair, who admitted she wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea during teacher training, had a change of heart soon after classes began.

Classroom aide Breanna Fair, teacher Franklin Baker and intern Eleni Fafoutis with 3D ThinkLink class students at Horizons Hampton Roads July 25, 2016
Breanna Fair, teacher Franklin Baker and intern Eleni Fafoutis with HHR students

“It was priceless,” to see the children’s reactions as they watched 3D printers turn their ideas into reality, she recalled. “You couldn’t ask for better.”

“It keeps them thinking over the summer,” she added. Learning to use Moment of Inspiration 3D design software helped strengthen the students’ math, planning and problem solving skills.

Cassidy Parish, 12, said she learned that it’s OK to make mistakes because you can always change a 3D design to make it better, then print it again. She also enjoyed the hands-on nature of the classes.

“I got to print my own things that I could design and build and use for myself,” explained Cassidy, whose 3D creations included a replica of the Goblet of Fire from Harry Potter and a Star Wars Death Star ID tag for her dog, Leia.

Teacher Franklin Baker gives Cassidy Parish tips for designing a 3D-printed clock at Horizons Hampton Roads on July 25, 2016
Franklin Baker gives Cassidy Parish tips for designing a 3D-printed clock

“If I got the chance, I would like to go help other students learn 3D printing,” Cassidy said.

Eleni Fafoutis, a high school intern who worked with the class, thinks the experience will encourage the kids to consider careers on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

“One student told me he wants to build rovers for NASA,” said Eleni. “I said you can. You’re working with a real CAD (Computer Aided Design) program and those rocket scientists use similar things.”

That aspiring NASA engineer, 12-year-old Corey Wells, said our classes helped him learn to solve problems and be creative.

“I think it was great that they allowed us to do this because many kids don’t get this opportunity and I’m thankful,” he said.

Corey, Cassidy and the other students from our first class at Horizons Hampton Roads entered 7th grade a few weeks ago equipped with new skills and confidence, thanks to YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative.

Scholarship Winners Want to Use 3D Printing to Help Others

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YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann presents scholarships to 3D ThinkLink essay contest winners Trevon Ahl and Alycia Freeman at South Carolina Youth ChalleNGE Academy

The YouthQuest Foundation has awarded scholarships to two South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduates for their essays about how 3D ThinkLink training affected them.

Trevon Ahl and Alycia Freeman, both 17, are among the 16 students who completed the latest cycle of the 3D design and printing course YouthQuest provides at the school for at-risk teens in Eastover, South Carolina.

YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann presented the $500 awards to the essay competition winners during SCYCA’s graduation ceremony on June 8.

Bestselling author John Gilstrap, whose latest novel in the Jonathan Grave thriller series is Friendly Fire, has judged the semi-annual contest since 2014.

“This year’s batch of essays featured two standouts for me, both because they focused not on what the writer got from their introduction to 3D printing, but rather on how they will put their knowledge to work for others,” he said.

3D ThinkLink students from SCYCA attend Vocational Orientation at 3D Systems in Rock Hill, South Carolina on April 21, 2016
SCYCA students at 3D Systems for Vocational Orientation

In his essay, Trevon described the excitement he felt the first time he used Moment of Inspiration design software to transform a flat shape into a 3D digital model that he could print.

He also recalled the Vocational Orientation trip his class took to 3D Systems headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he saw high-end printers that go far beyond the simple plastic-extrusion machines he learned to use in class. These professional 3D printers make objects from a variety of materials, including rubber, ceramics and metals.

“When I saw that, I was overall enthusiastic about this new wave of how to use machinery in everyday life that will help others in different ways,” Trevon wrote.

“If I had a 3D titanium printer for my personal use I would make bikes for all the children in my neighborhood,” he added “I’ve seen many kids in my community that walk everywhere and they would be grateful for a bike. I would even have them customize their own bicycle frame and then I`d print it out for them.”

Because he loves to fish, Trevon also said he wanted to 3D print a titanium fishing rod and “catch so many fish I would be able to share with the people in my community so we would all be able to enjoy a good fish fry.”

The $500 scholarship will help Trevon achieve his post-ChalleNGe goal of attending a technical college to earn a welding certificate. His fellow winner Alycia plans to study surgical technology at Savannah Technical College.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGE Academy 3D ThinkLink students Hailey Key, Asia Grant and Alycia Freeman examine 3D printed objects during Vocational Orientation at 3D Systems in Rock Hill, South Carolina on April 21, 2016
Hailey Key, Asia Grant and Alycia Freeman examine 3D printed objects during Vocational Orientation

“Alycia’s story was quite touching,” John Gilstrap said.

Her dad was doing drugs and her parents divorced when she was 13. She moved five times and skipped school often, spending most days caring for her ailing grandmother instead of going to class.

“I then started to follow in my father’s footsteps,” Alycia wrote. “About a year later, I knew I had to be successful. I didn’t want to be a product of my environment.”

That’s when she decided to enroll in SCYCA. Being in the 3D ThinkLink class helped Alycia get re-engaged in education.

Like Trevon, Alycia said the visit to 3D Systems showed her how she can use the technology she learned about in class for the benefit of others. She was inspired to see the many ways 3D printing is used in health care.

“Being that I took care of my grandmother, I want to help others live a better life in every way possible,” she explained. “3D printing encouraged me to become a surgical nurse. … I’m now motivated and determined to go to school and get into the medical field and actually complete it!”

CLICK HERE to read the complete essays

Spring 2016 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These students from the 2016 fall class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

By Trevon Ahl
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

When I entered into the room with the other cadets for class and was seated we were then shown several hands-on videos that we followed along with our individual laptops. Secondly, we learned how to extrude a 3-dimensional object. Extrude means when you have an object that is flat on the plane (Moment of Inspiration). You can extrude the object and basically make it stand up. Just the sight of seeing a shape that was flat, then it stood up made me feel excited! I didn’t think that was going to happen when I began the lesson.

3D printing is important to me in many ways. If you love dogs like I do you can make multiple items for your dogs, such as dog tags, prosthetic legs, prosthetic tails, prosthetic ears, etc. Also, you can make varieties of telephone cases for the different types of phones that are out there.

When Mr. Johnson and Tom Meeks said to us as a class that ‘’3D printing is about turning 2D objects to 3D objects and printing them to a real life situation that can be useful to many people and/or different industries.’’ When our 3D printing class visited 3D Systems in Rock Hill, S.C. we learned that there are many different types of 3D printers. Some 3D printers print in porcelain, titanium, powder and plastic. Yes, I know what you are thinking: powder? The machine hardens the powder; then when you make your shape or objects it dips your shape into the super glue and become hardened into the shape that you are making.

3D is the new type of manufacturing. They even made a car frame that looked like a Lamborghini. The New Balance shoe company now has a pair of tennis shoes that the soles of them are made with 3D printing technology. When I saw that I was overall enthusiastic about this new wave of how to use machinery in everyday life that will help others in different ways!

If I had a 3D titanium printer for my personal use I would make bikes for all the children in my neighborhood. I’ve seen many kids in my community that walk everywhere and they would be grateful for a bike.  I would even have them customize their own bicycle frame and then I`d print it out for them.

I would love to also make a titanium fishing rod because I love to fish. Once I catch so many fish I would be able to share with the people in my community so we would all be able to enjoy a good fish fry.

_________________________________________

By Alycia Freeman
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I’m Cadet Freeman from Beaufort, South Carolina. I grew up on St. Helena Island. My parents got divorced when I was 13 years old because my father was more interested in drugs than he was into having a relationship with my mother.

I got pulled out of school a lot and moved about 5 times. My grades started to plummet and I was told I wouldn’t be able to obtain my high school diploma. This was due to all the days that I had missed.

I began taking care of my grandmother who got sick and she had to have a knee replacement. My grandmother started back walking after surgery but still needed assistance. She passed away a couple months later due to other complications. I was still in school at the time but I only went about twice a week.

I then started to follow in my father’s footsteps. I no longer wanted to be around people. About a year later I knew I had to be successful. I didn’t want to be a product of my environment. I heard about SCYCA through a family member. I asked my mother did she think it was a good way to try and get my G.E.D. Her response was, “Absolutely!” She was very surprised and proud of my decision.

My way of thinking and mindset made a 360 degree turn while attending the program for these five months. I’m now motivated and determined to go to school and get into the medical field and actually complete it!

My favorite part that I thought was most interesting and cool was applying 3D technology to the field that I want to take up at Savannah Tech. I learned many things about 3D printing that I was not aware of. I found it interesting that tests on mice with 3D printed objects showed that there were no signs of cells dying in their tissues. I also learned at 3D Systems people who do additive manufacturing print organs, stem cells, bones and even surgical tools. I feel like every disabled person deserves to enjoy a normal life.

Being that I took care of my grandmother, I want to help others live a better life in every way possible. 3D printing encouraged me to become a surgical nurse. When I become a surgical nurse I will then be able to insert/place replacement bones, organs, etc. in different areas of the human body.

I also want to take my career further so that I can be an additive manufacturer. Not to mention other things I could create such as shoe soles, car parts, skeletal parts, foods, and models with different types and sizes of 3D printers. 3D printing will become even more popular in the future and I would like to advance my experience.

3D ThinkLink Initiative Expands to Reach Teens With Autism

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3D ThinkLink students and instructors at PHILLIPS School in Annandale, Virginia, June 10, 2016.

YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink project at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale, Virginia, is off to an impressive start.

Six students have completed our 3D design and printing course as part of the Career and Tech Education program at the school for special-needs children. YouthQuest provided the curriculum, equipment, software and teacher training.

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

“We’ve hit on something here that has great potential,” Piper Phillips Caswell, President and CEO of PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families, said during an event honoring the students on June 10.

YouthQuest and PHILLIPS teamed up early this year to launch the first 3D ThinkLink class specifically for high-school-age students with high-spectrum autism. Previously, YouthQuest’s signature STEM education program primarily served at-risk teens enrolled in National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies.

“It was mind-blowing to see something on the computer and then see it printed out on the 3D printer,” said PHILLIPS student Elijah Burton.

“It’s just really fun to design things,” added his classmate, Henry Spiegelblatt.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks, who developed the curriculum and trained the teachers, was “blown away” by the results of the pilot program at PHILLIPS.

Luke McHugh, left, and Adam Eldert work on a 3D design in YouthQiest's 3D ThinkLink class at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale, Virginia
Luke McHugh, left, and Adam Eldert work on a 3D design in Moment of Inspiration

“In four years of teaching 3D ThinkLink classes, I don’t think I’ve seen students create designs more complex than what I’ve seen here. I am super impressed,” he said.

“One of the reasons I enjoy coming to 3D printing is that I already have the ideas that I want to put down. I’ve always had these designs that I wanted to implement,” explained Adam Eldert, whose creations included a colorful spaceship. “However, until recently, I lacked the means and the resources to actually make them reality. Now, I possess both.”

Luke McHugh quickly mastered the Moment of Inspiration design software, using it as a tool for creative expression.

“I can exercise my ideas in a virtual environment where I can literally build them and then modify them without having to take the whole thing apart,” said Luke.

Adam Eldert's spaceship design created with Moment of Inspiration software in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink class at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale, Virginia
Adam Eldert’s spaceship design

Knowing how to use a 3D printer and serious CAD (computer-aided design) software such as Moment of Inspiration can be valuable for the students are they prepare to enter the working world. The PHILLIPS program is also designed to teach “soft job skills” such as problem solving.

The goal, as PHILLIPS Program Supervisor Lindsay Harris put it, is “to develop confidence as well as competence.”

With an emphasis on critical thinking, learning from mistakes and step-by-step improvement, our 3D ThinkLink training helps students achieve that goal.

Marcel Baynes, Tom Meeks, Jim Field and Sam Son at YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink teacher training in January, 2016
Marcel Baynes, Tom Meeks, Jim Field and Sam Son at teacher training

“I’ve seen an increase in their resiliency. They’re not afraid to fail,” said Sam Son, lead teacher for the Designing Futures Program at PHILLIPS.  “Whenever they do see the mistakes, they want to go back into the program – Moment of Inspiration – to make sure they find out exactly where it’s wrong and tweak it, because failure is not final and they want that final product to be exactly what they want.”

He described one student who had “always felt left out” because she was constantly being compared to her sister, who’s in gifted and talented classes.

“For her to actually be working with 3D printers and designers that people at the university are working with, it brings out a lot in her and the confidence has skyrocketed recently,” Sam said.

Much of the credit for this pilot project’s success goes to Sam and his fellow PHILLIPS instructors Jim Field and Marcel Baynes, who attended a week of training in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab in January and spent many more days in and out of class learning to use the 3D printers and software.

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Congratulations to the First 3D ThinkLink Class at the PHILLIPS School

Elijah Burton
Adam Eldert
Ida Kahsay
Luke McHugh
Deja Semper
Henry Spiegelblatt

Students Do Real Research in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Lab

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Advanced 3D ThinkLink students assemble JellyBox 3D printer kits during immersion lab week in January 2016

Eight young people who spent a week in our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab this month learned new skills and took part in hands-on research that will benefit other 3D printing enthusiasts.

“Not only did our students broaden their 3D design and printing experience by exploring the complexities of full-color 3D printing workflows, they provided valuable early feedback for the developers and manufacturers of two new 3D technologies,” said YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Amadou Abakar watches his 3D design take shape on a Cube 2 printer during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
Amadou Abakar watches his 3D design take shape on a Cube 2 printer

They were selected for Lab Week because of their outstanding performance in the latest cycle of 3D ThinkLink classes at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies serving South Carolina, Maryland and the District of Columbia. YouthQuest provides the equipment, curriculum and training for the residential academies to help at-risk teens develop critical thinking and problem solving skills through 3D design and printing.

It was the largest group so far to receive 40 hours of advanced training in our Chantilly, Virginia, facility. Unlike the typical maker space, the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab is dedicated solely to 3D design, scanning and printing. It is a true laboratory environment designed to promote comparative analysis and develop creative solutions.

The students were the first to experience the lab’s new 3D scanning and printing capabilities, and the first to assemble a unique 3D printer kit.

Going With the Workflow

The week began with an introduction to Cubify Sculpt, a type of 3D design software the students had never tried.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate John Smith uses Cubify Sculpt to design a monster's head printer during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
John Smith uses Cubify Sculpt to design the head for a monster figurine

In their classes at school, they used Moment of Inspiration (MoI), a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) program that turns two-dimensional shapes into three-dimensional objects. Sculpt is an organic modeling program in which the students begin with a 3D object and modify it in all sorts of creative ways, as if digitally sculpting a piece of virtual clay.

Step-by-step, they worked their way through the process of designing simple objects such as personalized rings using MoI and Sculpt. Now that every lab workstation is equipped with a Cube 2 printer – thanks to a generous donation from our strategic partner, 3D Systems – it was easy for the students to run test prints so they could quickly evaluate and improve their designs.

“As I began making the images and creating stuff I started to realize that this is a game-changer. It was amazing to me because I never even worked with this type of material before,” said South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy (SCYCA) graduate John Smith. “It helped me realize my passion for art and my talent is there … and I can use it to help other people.”

Once they got a feel for organic modeling, the students took turns making 3D scans of each other and learned how Sculpt fits into the workflow of preparing the files for printing. Then they were able to create full-color mini-busts of themselves using the lab’s recently acquired Z450 powder bed printer.

Evaluating 3D Scanners

Amadou Abakar scans Nate Sydnor while the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduates evaluate 3D scanners during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
Amadou Abakar scans Nate Sydnor with a RealSense-equipped tablet

The students tested and evaluated two kinds of handheld 3D scanning devices: the 3D Systems Sense and an HP tablet with Intel’s RealSense technology.

They experimented with various scanning techniques and lighting conditions, then conducted a focus group with Tom to discuss their findings.

They found the tablet was easier to use than the Sense, which has no onboard monitor and must be connected to a computer by a cumbersome cable. However, they noted that both devices had trouble capturing images of dark-skinned people.

“Scanning can be aggravating when it messes up and you have to redo it, but it’s still really fun,” said SCYCA grad Emilee Bray.

“It’s cool to have a 3D figure of yourself,” she added. “Nobody I know has that kind of stuff!”

Full-color mini-busts made from 3D scans of Kimora Felton, Nate Sydnor and Emiliee Bray during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
3D-printed busts made from scans of Kimora Felton, Nate Sydnor and Emiliee Bray

The group had several ideas for simplifying the workflow and suggested improvements in the RealSense software’s visual feedback to help users hold the tablet at the proper distance from subjects while scanning.

Their feedback is being shared with the leaders of the Sense for Intel RealSense application development team at 3D Systems.

Assembling 3D Printers

The JellyBox, from iMade3D, is a soon-to-be-released 3D printer kit designed specifically for educational use. Its innovative design makes it easy to put together and take apart so it can be used over and over to teach students how a 3D printer works.

The students paired up to do the first independent evaluation of the JellyBox assembly process. Members of the iMade3D team spent a full day in the lab watching them put together four printers.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Kimora Felton and and Freestate ChalleNGe Academy graduate Josh Nembhard build a JellyBox 3D printer during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
Josh Nembhard and Kimora Felton assemble a JellyBox 3D printer kit

“It was fun. I mean, we messed up several times, but we still finished in a day,” said SCYCA’s Justin Lewis.

“And for every mistake, we learned from it,” added Amadou Abakar, from DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy (CGYCA).

The students had a finished JellyBox to look at, but were given minimal instructions. At first, they all thought it would be difficult to assemble their kits, but the teams quickly gained confidence as they figured out how to put the pieces together.

Kimora Felton from SCYCA was so wrapped up in the project that when it was time for lunch, she didn’t want to stop working.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Emilee Bray and and Freestate ChalleNGe Academy graduate Osman Bah build a JellyBox 3D printer during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
Emilee Bray and Osman Bah build a JellyBox

“I really love making stuff,” she explained. “When something really interests me, I go straight for it.”

“I was really impressed and I loved the energy and the attention the students devoted to the project,” said Filip Goc, the JellyBox’s primary designer, noting that their feedback will be invaluable in perfecting the design and refining the assembly instructions before the product goes on the market.

Osman Bah from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy called the experience “amazing.” He said he’d never expected to meet an inventor like Filip and “see how his mind works.”

“The advice he gave me was to just follow the steps and put your mind to it,” Osman recalled.

“A Life-Changing Experience”

A week of immersion training in our lab taught the students some lessons in life, along with advanced 3D skills.

“I learned how to work with people that I don’t know. I usually don’t like doing that,” said Emilee, who teamed up with Osman to build a JellyBox. “It was interesting getting to know someone while working on a project with them.”

The teams show the JellyBox 3D printers they built during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
The teams show off their JellyBox 3D printers

She discovered that even though they’re from different states and have “a different perspective on everything,” they could put their minds together.

“It did get aggravating at times, but we still worked through it and we still made it,” she said.

“I was proud of us because we worked hard on that thing. We never quit,” added Emilee, who went directly from Lab Week to South Carolina’s Aiken Technical College – the next step in her plan to become a nurse anesthetist.

John, who impressed everyone in the lab with his design talents described our 3D ThinkLink training as “a life-changing experience” that’s given him new skills and tools to help him pursue a career in art.

Justin Lewis, John Smith, Osman Bah, Nate Sydnor and Josh Nembhard compare 3D scanner features during January 2016 immersion week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab
(l-r) Justin, John, Osman, Nate and Josh compare 3D scanner features

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

Nate Sydnor from CGYCA also said the experience fueled his passion for art by helping him see things in different ways. In addition, he found it rewarding to participate in the scanning and JellyBox research.

“I can look back on this and say I accomplished something great because we are a part of history. We’re making history,” Nate said.

“I’m involved in something that’s going to impact a lot of people in the future. It makes me feel inspired and motivated,” Osman added.

Amadou, who aspires to be an electrical engineer, recalled that on the first day of Lab Week, the students talked about the aphorism that a koi fish grows bigger when it swims in a larger pond.

“This has been a really big pond for us to grow and learn and develop,” he said. “And this is really important because this isn’t something we’re going to leave here. It’s something we can take with us wherever we go.”

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3D Printing Prevents Summer ‘Brain Drain’ at Boys & Girls Club Camp

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Students learn 3D design and printing in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink classes at the Boys & Girls Clubs Summer Camp at Culmore Character Club in Fairfax Coynty, Virginia

Some students in Fairfax County, Virginia are going back to school this week with improved thinking skills, increased confidence and turned-on brains, thanks to YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative.

Tom Meeks (left) and Chris Roberts set up equipment for 3D ThinkLink classes at Culmore Club
Tom Meeks and Chris Roberts set up equipment for 3D ThinkLink classes

They’re the kids we introduced to 3D printing in Boys & Girls Clubs Summer Camp classes at the Culmore Character Club in July.

More than 30 students, some as young as 10, took part in the classes taught by YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Chris Roberts, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington Education Director.

During two weeks of daily two-hour sessions, the students learned the basics of 3D design and printing. In the process, they had fun exploring their creativity and strengthening their problem solving skills.

It took only a few days for the kids to get comfortable with the Moment of Inspiration 3D modeling software and Cube 3 printers we provided. After mastering a few simple tasks such as making cookie cutters and key chain tags personalized with their initials, they were eager to dream up their own projects.

Pauline Erpe holds a 3D-printed vase she created
Pauline Erpe holds a vase she created

“I had no idea what 3D printing was. I thought it would be kind of boring at first because it takes a lot of work,” said Pauline Erpe, 11, who is entering 7th grade. “It took a few days for me to learn, but now I know how to do it and it’s really fun. I’m really good at it now.”

We were pleased and impressed by how quickly even the youngest students were able to start turning their ideas into 3D-printed reality. The printers were running constantly, churning out imaginative objects of all kinds including castles, vehicles, superhero medallions, vases and tags for pets.

Even projects that went awry at first became opportunities for learning about how to deal with setbacks. Jimmy Escobar, 11, worked hard to create a case for his cell phone, only to discover when he printed it that the holes for the control buttons weren’t large enough. He worked through the problem by taking careful measurements and adjusting his design in Moment of Inspiration until the print turned out the way he wanted.

Tom Meeks watches Jimmy Escobar try a haptic device, which provides an artificial sense of touch in making 3D designs
Tom Meeks watches Jimmy Escobar try a haptic device, which provides an artificial sense of touch in making 3D designs

“My teacher told us to never give up. If you mess up, try again. It might take you a few times, but you’ll get it. And I got it!,” Jimmy proudly declared as he showed off his finished phone case.

This summer’s pilot project with the Boys & Girls Clubs brought our 3D ThinkLink lessons to students who are younger than the ones we’ve been working with in the Maryland, District of Columbia and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe programs. The experience convinced us that children of all ages can benefit from our curriculum, which will be available for purchase online through our website this fall.

“It’s not all about 3D printing,” Pauline explained. “I learned how to grow my brain because I was introduced to new things.”

Too often, summer vacation is “brain drain” time for young people. Our 3D ThinkLink classes helped the Culmore kids keep their minds turned on this summer so they could start the new school year ready to learn on Day One.

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