Tag: Tom Meeks

VIDEO: A Week of Discovery in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Lab

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Students in YouthQuest's first 3D ThinkLink Lab immersion training week

The students in our first 3D ThinkLink Lab made up an unlikely team of trailblazers.

Not long ago, they were “going down the wrong path.” They were getting into trouble, giving up on school and feeling like nobody cared about them. Each one made the life-changing decision to enroll in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, where they learned about 3D design and printing in classes provided by the YouthQuest Foundation.

Thirty at-risk teens from South Carolina, Maryland and the District of Columbia completed the introductory course in June. From those classes, instructors chose these five young men to attend the first weeklong training session at YouthQuest headquarters in Chantilly, Va., Aug. 4-8.

For South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Joey Clark, it was an “adventurous” week.

“We all come from different places, with different problems,” he said. “You didn’t know what was going to happen. It was a mystery.

“We started printing some stuff out, started having fun and then we all became pretty much brothers.”

The students’ main project for the week was to build a solar-powered walking robot and use 3D printing to customize it. In the process, they learned about creativity, problem solving and teamwork, said YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks, who was delighted by how quickly the students pulled together.

Daikwon Jones and Brice Lamb help each other assemble their robots
Daikwon Jones and Brice Lamb help each other assemble their robots

Within hours, the 3D ThinkLink Lab was buzzing with activity as the students helped each other assemble their robot skeletons and troubleshoot problems.

“You really have to think when it comes to 3D printing because your first thing isn’t always going to work,” observed Joey.

He and fellow SCYCA grad Brice Lamb had to think outside the box when they discovered their solar panels wouldn’t produce enough power to make their robots walk. Joey came up with the idea of using a AA battery to run the motor. He worked with Tom to design and print a battery holder that attached to his robot’s back.

That led Brice to experiment with a smaller button-type battery from one of the electronic calipers the students used to take precise measurements.

“This is the kind of problem-solving skill we’re trying to instill in these young people,” said Tom. “We want them to know that when you reach a hurdle, you don’t just stop. You take a look at it, think about it and then come up with a solution to your problem.”

“Doing 3D taught me it’s OK to make mistakes because you can always go back and redo it,” added Jarrod Burley from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy.

“This has helped me so much,” said Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Daikwon Jones. “It gives you a chance to be yourself. It’s like an artist with a painting.”

The students showed off their creations during the annual VIP reception for YouthQuest’s leading supporters, held at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in McLean, Va., on Aug. 7. Getting to meet some of the at-risk youth they’re helping made a powerful impression on our donors.

“They are highly educated, successful, accomplished in their professions,” noted Tom, “yet they didn’t know as much about 3D printing as our students did.”

Rashad Byrd with (L-R) Carrie and Pete Schourek, and Jones Lang LaSalle Managing Director Harry Klaff at VIP Reception August 7, 2014
Rashad Byrd with (L-R) Carrie and Pete Schourek, and Jones Lang LaSalle Managing Director Harry Klaff at YouthQuest’s VIP Reception

“CEOs, captains of industry, professional athletes, authors… were actually held spellbound,” Capital Guardian Information Systems Manager and 3D ThinkLink instructor Keith Hammond recalled with a smile.

“It made me feel special,” said Brice.

The reception guests were fascinated by 3D printing, added Jarrod, but many they said they didn’t think they’d be able to do it. “When I told them, ‘You can do anything you put your mind to,’ it amazed them,” he said.

Jarrod’s Freestate classmate Rashad Byrd, a sports fan who dreams of playing pro baseball, was amazed that he was able to spend time with two famous athletes in two days. He talked with retired MLB pitcher Pete Schourek about 3D printing – and baseball – at the VIP reception, then got a pep talk on the final day of class from sportscaster Rick ‘Doc’ Walker, who was a member of the Super Bowl XVII Champion Washington Redskins. Both of them played in our charity golf tournament, the Challenge at Trump National, on Aug. 11.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime. Stay focused on your goals and don’t get distracted,” Doc told the students. “Don’t ever let anyone make fun of you for trying to be successful. Knowledge is the key.”

The first 3D ThinkLink Lab experience was an eye-opener for everyone.

“All week, we’ve been creating stuff. We’ve been expanding our minds.” said Daikwon.

“I never thought I would be telling somebody to not give up and to just keep trying. If you mess up, just start all over again,” said Jarrod.

These five young trailblazers, who have started over and put themselves on the path to a better life, taught us a great deal during the week. Because of what we learned from their experience, we will be able to accomplish even more in the next immersion labs as we acquire more sophisticated 3D printers.

If you would like to help us expand our 3D ThinkLink Initiative, please CLICK HERE to make a donation or contact us at info@YouthQuestFoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

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YouthQuest Launches 3D ThinkLink Lab Training

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YouthQuest President Lynda Mann with 3D ThinkLink Lab students Jarrod Burley, Rashad Byrd, Daikwon Jones, Brice Lamb and Joey Clark on August 4, 2014.

Today marks an important milestone in the growth of our 3D ThinkLink Initiative. For the first time, we’ve brought students to our headquarters for a week of immersion training.

These students learned the basics of 3D design and printing in our spring classes at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy and the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. During this week’s 3D ThinkLink Lab experience, they will do creative, hand-on projects to add new layers to their understanding of 3D printing and to build up their critical thinking skills.

Daikwon Jones dreams up ways to customize the robot he just assembled.
Daikwon Jones dreams up ways to customize the solar-powered robot he just assembled.

This morning’s session began with a discussion about solving problems, then the students got right to work assembling solar-powered robots and using their 3D printing skills to customize their creations.

Another project for the group will be to invent a device that allows a person who has a prosthetic arm to use an electric toothbrush. Under the guidance of YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks, the students will design, print and install the device to test and evaluate their concept.

On Thursday night, the students will showcase their projects during YouthQuest’s annual VIP Reception at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse in McLean, Va.

The members of our first 3D ThinkLink Lab class are: Jarrod Burley and Rashad Byrd (Maryland), Daikwon Jones (DC), Joey Clark and Brice Lamb (SC).

We also thank Freestate’s Tim Jackson, Capital Guardian’s Keith Hammond and Herman Lantz, and South Carolina’s Sammie Brown for joining us at YouthQuest headquarters in Chantilly, Va., this week to help with the training and chaperone the students.

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Essay ‘From the Heart’ Earns Scholarship for 3D Printing Student

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YouthQuest President Lynda Mann presents a $500 scholarship to Requan Da Sant for his winning essay about his experience in the 3D ThinkLink class at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy.

Recent Freestate ChalleNGe Academy graduate Requan Da Sant is the winner of the first essay competition for students in the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes.

He earned a $500 scholarship for writing about how the STEM education project for at-risk youth has affected his life.

Requan Da Sant shows a Morgan State University student how to design a 3D object.
Requan Da Sant shows a Morgan State University student how to design a 3D object.

“Being able to use computers for graphic arts and be recognized for it is a dream come true,” Requan said in his essay, The Impact of Creativity.

YouthQuest provides instruction in 3D design and printing at Freestate in Aberdeen, Md., as well as the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academies, where high school dropouts get the opportunity to turn their lives around in residential programs run by the National Guard Youth Foundation. The 3D ThinkLink classes promote critical thinking and creativity while introducing students to the booming technology of additive manufacturing.

Requan’s essay focused on a visit in April to Morgan State University in Baltimore, where he and his classmates showed college students how to create 3D objects. He described it as a “life-altering event” that made him feel “empowered” and helped improve his leadership skills.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks watches as Freestate Cadet Requan Da Sant operates a 3D scanner at YouthQuest's booth at the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, DC, April 25, 2014.
Requan Da Sant operates a 3D scanner as part of  YouthQuest’s exhibit at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC.

Requan, 16, said the opportunity to teach college students also reassured him that he should continue his education.

Students in all three 3D ThinkLink classes were invited to write about their experiences. Members of the YouthQuest Foundation Board of Directors judged the entries.

“The reason he was selected by the Board was because he wrote from the heart,” YouthQuest President and Co-Founder Lynda Mann said at the Freestate awards ceremony June 10.

Requan plans to return to high school and earn his diploma, then join the Air Force Reserve and study graphic engineering in college. He will receive the scholarship money after he completes high school.

“I am a very creative individual with the readiness to work and achieve great possibilities,” he wrote.

We have no doubt Requan will do exactly that.

Here is his winning essay:

My 3D ThinkLink Experience: The Impact of Creativity

I truly appreciate being chosen for this potential scholarship. My name is Requan Da Sant and I attend Freestate Challenge Academy. I am 16 years old and I live in Edgewood, Maryland. 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 Freestate 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.

I had the honor to teach college students at Morgan State University on April 23, 2014. This was their first encounter with the program. The program was taught to the students in a step by step process. At the end of this process each student was able to build their own 3D key chain. As each student completed their key chain I felt empowered. They were very intrigued by the 3D software and what it detailed. The wise words of Audrey Hepburn, “Nothing is impossible, for the word itself say I’m possible” inspired me to continue on with 3D ThinkLink training and the outstanding growth it brought to my leadership goals.

Being given an opportunity to teach college students at such a prestigious school such as Morgan State University is a life-altering event. It gave me the reassurance that going to college is the best option for me. 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 mother 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 her saying this in my mind and use it for motivation. If not for my mother I probably, never mind the probably, I would not be where I am right now. She has inspired me to obtain and achieve the unachievable. If I receive this scholarship, it would make my mother 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 you have given me.

VIDEO: 3D ThinkLink Initiative on Display at USA Science & Engineering Festival

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A Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadet in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Initiative class 3D scans a young visitor to the Foundation's exhibit at the USA Science & Engineering Festival on April 26, 2014

Students in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes got the opportunity to do some learning and some teaching at the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, DC, on April 25-27.

The Cadets and teachers from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy and the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy joined our Foundation’s President and Co-Founder Lynda Mann, Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Communications Director Steve Pendlebury at YouthQuest’s exhibit booth.

“Everyone had a good experience here,” said Capital Guardian Cadet Alexander Cruz. “It was too interesting. You find things you would never think of.”

“I’m glad to be exposed to new things like this,” added his classmate, Cadet Daikwon Jones.

The 3rd USA Science & Engineering Festival was billed as America’s largest celebration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Imagine a three-day school science fair that fills both levels of the Washington Convention Center, in which the parents helped make all the displays – and all the parents are geniuses.

Hundreds of children and adults stopped by our booth to see what our students are learning and to hear about how the 3D ThinkLink Initiative is helping them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

“I got to see stuff I never saw before. I got to think in ways other than I usually think about how to solve problems using different types of strategies,” Capital Guardian Cadet Demetrius Morgan said.

With the help of our strategic partner, 3D Systems, we had students operate a Sense 3D scanner to show how multiple images are captured and stitched together to create the data file that is then turned into a plastic object by a Cube 3D printer.

The Cadets also helped small children assemble 3D-printed stackable beehive puzzles to demonstrate the concept of building objects in layers. They explained to the kids that bees are nature’s 3D printers because they make honeycombs by stacking up layers of wax in precise patterns, just as the Cube machine does with heated plastic filament.

“It was a good experience to talk to people about 3D printing,” said Freestate Cadet Daniel Mueller. “I have a better understanding of it now.”

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When they weren’t staffing the booth, the students explored other exhibits and quickly discovered that they’re seeing the start of the additive manufacturing boom. The technology they’re learning about in class is quickly spreading to all sorts of industries, opening new career opportunities for those who have 3D design and printing skills.

Visitors who had been to the festival before remarked about how many displays included 3D printers this time. Just a year or two ago, the machines were a rarity. In fact, there were so many this year that a young boy asked one of our fellow exhibitors, “Is 3D printing the theme of this festival?”

It might as well have been.

However, there was also much more on display at the USASEF.

“One thing I found fascinating was the robots; how they built them, and how they use them for many things from just plain toys to defusing bombs for the SWAT team,” said Freestate Cadet Dakota Doyle.

The festival helped Freestate Cadet Kayla Coleman “learn much more about astronomy.” Her dream is to work for NASA.

“I never thought I’d be interested in science stuff like this” said Capital Guardian Cadet Daisha Allen. Being at the festival changed her mind.

In addition to learning more about STEM subjects, the students got to work on their presentation skills and practice speaking in public.

“It gave me more of the skills of talking to people because I’m not really used to it, but I know it’s something I have to work on. So it was fun for me to learn how to communicate with people better,” said Freestate Cadet Kayla McFadden.

Several visitors to our booth remarked about how poised and well-spoken the Cadets were – and what a good job they did working with the younger children.

It was clear, though, that there’s still a bit of little kid in these young men and women who are just weeks away from graduation. Asked to name their favorite activity at the USASEF, the overwhelming majority of Cadets said it was getting to eat graham crackers that had been dipped in super-cold liquid nitrogen.

To see why, watch this video from one of the STEM celebrities who appeared at the festival, Bill Nye the Science Guy.

VIDEO: What’s Ahead for YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative

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Keith Hammond and Tom Meeks with Capital Guardian ChalleNGe Academy cadets 2013

With a new cycle of 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes starting, it’s a good time to take a look at where our STEM education project has been and where it’s going.

What began with a group of eight graduates at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy a year ago has grown to include three programs and three dozen students who will receive 34.5 hours of instruction in 3D design and printing.

The South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy is holding classes for the first time — joining the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, which introduced classes last fall, and Freestate, where the YouthQuest Foundation launched this project last spring.

3D ThinkLink Initiative teacher training
3D ThinkLink Initiative teacher training

Instructors from all three schools spent a week at YouthQuest headquarters last month preparing for this class cycle. While the teachers work in the classrooms, YouthQuest’s Director of Instruction Tom Meeks will lead the sessions via video conferencing from a central location. Tom will also visit each class so he can get to know the students in person and reinforce the message that the things they learn in class will help them make better decisions.

As our 3D ThinkLink Initiative grows, so does the support we receive from our strategic partner, 3D Systems, which provides the Cube printers, Sense scanners and Sculpt software students use in class.

The South Carolina students will tour the company’s Rock Hill headquarters in June as part of their Vocational Orientation Day, which shows them how the skills they learn in class are used in the working world.

We also are teaming up with 3D Systems for an exhibit at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, the nation’s largest celebration of STEM, next month in Washington, DC.

Students from Freestate and Capital Guardian will participate in interactive demonstrations of 3D scanning, modeling and printing. They will have the chance to tell other students what our classes have taught them about solving problems by thinking creatively. When they’re not at our booth, they’ll be exploring the scientific wonderland of exhibits that will fill the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

USASEFOfficial_Partner_Logo_croppedVisit our exhibit at the USA Science and Engineering Festival April 26-27. Participants include more than 750 of the world’s top scientific and engineering societies, universities, government agencies, tech companies and STEM outreach and community organizations. We’ll be in Hall A, Booth 1136 – right next to 3D Systems. It’s free!

The festival is sure to be the kind of life-enriching experience our foundation strives to provide for at-risk youth. It’s also an excellent opportunity to tell our story to people in the STEM education and additive manufacturing communities who can help support YouthQuest’s mission.

One of our immediate priorities is to begin creating a 3D fabrication laboratory equipped with software and printers that can do more than the ones our students use in class. Two students from each of the classes that are now starting will be selected to spend a week in the lab in July, where they will delve deeper into 3D printing and learn to work with materials other than plastic, such as clay and even candy.

Eventually, community groups and individuals will be able to use the facility for a fee, to help cover the costs of our educational programs.

Another goal for this year is to expand the 3D ThinkLink Initiative beyond the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. YouthQuest President and Co-Founder Lynda Mann is leading an outreach effort to partner with other youth organizations that work in underserved communities throughout America.

Click on the video below for more about where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to support the 3D ThinkLink Initiative, click here to donate or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

Teachers Complete 3D ThinkLink Initiative Training

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YouthQuest 3D ThinkLink Initiative teacher training

Instructors from three National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs spent the week of Feb. 3 preparing for the next round of The YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes.

They completed our first teacher training course at YouthQuest’s headquarters in Chantilly, Va. The sessions led by the Foundation’s Training Director Tom Meeks and President Lynda Mann covered everything from brain development and critical thinking skills to the use of Moment of Inspiration and Cubify Sculpt design software to operating a Cube 3D printer.

Our unique STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education project uses 3D printing to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By learning to think differently, at-risk teens who once gave up on school become re-engaged in their education and discover how to make better decisions to achieve their goals in life.

Ivan Tucker and Joi Toliver from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy look at a Cube 3D printer
Click the picture to see a photo gallery.

During a busy week of training, the teachers did everything their students will do in class. Hands-on projects included using basic shapes to create an Egyptian level and designing, printing and assembling a set of gears. The 15-unit curriculum wrapped up with a creative exercise in which they manipulated images captured by a Sense 3D scanner.

The teachers also got an overview of the many vocational opportunities for their students. 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is used in such diverse fields as automotive and aerospace engineering, cooking, medicine, architecture and art.

The 3D ThinkLink Initiative was launched at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy early last year and expanded to include the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy last fall. Our newest partner is the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy. All three programs will begin 3D classes in March.

Congratulations to the first-class teachers in our first class!

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
Rikiesha Metzger
Tim Jackson

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy
Keith Hammond
Herman Lantz

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy
Joi Toliver
Ivan Tucker

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to support the 3D ThinkLink Initiative, click here to donate or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

3D ThinkLink Initiative’s Impact: ‘I Didn’t Think I Could Learn Anything Like This’

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Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Kenneth Cruz looks at a 3D-scanned image of himself.

Patience. Persistence. Attention to detail. Creativity.

Those are some of the lessons the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative taught Cadets at the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

Our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education project not only introduces students to the revolutionary field of additive manufacturing, it uses 3D design and printing classes to teach critical thinking skills that help at-risk teens make better decisions as they enter adulthood.

“I didn’t think I could learn anything like this before,” said Cadet Dalonta Crudup, whose dream is to design and build his own house from the ground up.

“I was thinking that when I start architecture in college it was going to be hard, but joining this class has made it seem a lot easier – how to deal with things, how to deal with situations and building stuff,” he said.

Cadet Niema Travers also was worried at first that she wouldn’t be able to learn 3D design and printing.

“Now I can do this without any problem,” she said with a smile. “It made me feel better than anything because … to be able to make something on the computer, for it to print out and be in your hand, is amazing.”

The 3D classes taught Niema, who has her sights set on a career in information technology, to be patient and methodical in solving problems.

“You have to figure out which piece goes where and if you do it wrong, you have to figure out what happened and go back,” she explained. “It takes a lot of hard work, but I love it.”

“It helped me pay attention to detail,” agreed Cadet Kenneth Cruz, who hopes to study 3D printing in college and perhaps become a video game designer.

It was also a confidence-builder for Kenneth and his classmates.

“Being in this class, it helped me understand that you can put your mind to anything,” he said.

The 3D ThinkLink Initiative gave Cadet Gerry Rubi, who plans to be a civil engineer, the opportunity to get creative with technology.

“One of the main things it taught me is there’s a lot of ways to do one thing,” he said.

Gerry took a 3D engineering class at his previous school, but was only able to look at his designs on a computer screen.

“We never got the chance to physically print it out and be able to hold it and say we created that,” he said.

The class at Capital Guardian allowed him to come up ideas for objects, design and print them and make revisions until he was satisfied with finished item. Gerry likened it to the difference between “drawing a picture and bringing the picture to life.”

YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative was launched at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy early last year and expanded to Capital Guardian in the fall. The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program operates these residential academies where dropouts get a second chance to earn a high school degree and prepare for employment or continued education. The ChalleNGe program in South Carolina will start 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes in a few weeks.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to support this unique STEM education project, click here to donate or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

VIDEO: 3D ThinkLink Initiative Students Graduate From Youth ChalleNGe Academies

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Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Class 41 graduates

The Cadets in our 3D ThinkLink Initiative classes have just taken a giant step toward a successful future as they completed the 22-week residential program at Freestate and Capital Guardian ChalleNGe Academies.

Eighteen young people were honored at award presentations and graduation ceremonies in Maryland and Washington, DC, last week.

Recognizing that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education is essential in today’s workforce, the YouthQuest Foundation developed the 3D ThinkLink Initiative and teamed up with the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, which operates residential academies where dropouts get a second chance to earn a high school degree and prepare for employment or continued education.

Launched at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy early this year and expanded to include the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy this fall, the unique project uses 3D design and printing to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills to students who once gave up on school.

Selected Cadets receive 25 hours of training that supplements their regular math and science curriculum. Instructors have found that students in these classes gain confidence and become more engaged in all their other courses. In addition, the Cadets discover that learning to think creatively has benefits beyond the classroom. The skills and values they develop will help them achieve their goals no matter what career path they choose.

Several Cadets from the 3D project received special recognition during their graduation ceremonies. Cadet of the Cycle awards, the highest honor a Cadet can earn, went to Gerry Rubi from Capital Guardian and Jennifer Contreras from Freestate. Capital Guardian’s Dalonta Crudup and Freestate’s Trinisia Reese were named Most Improved Cadets.  Many others received scholarships for their leadership and academic achievements.

In the second phase of the ChalleNGe program, graduates return to their communities to continue their education or begin careers under the guidance of mentors who will serve as their role models, advisers and advocates for a year.

Congratulations to all the graduates!

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy
Jose Buruca
Dalonta Crudup
Kenneth Cruz
Albert Fuller
TaShawna Richardson
Gerry Rubi
Dejah Stanley
Niema Travers

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
Jennifer Contreras
Miguel Espinal-Herrera
Jaasiel Headly
Kameron Johnson
Sanfa Kanneh
John Mitchell
Tanae Molden
Trinisia Reese
Terrell Saddler
Christopher Shade

3D ThinkLink Initiative Gears Up at ChalleNGe Academies

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Tom Meeks 3D printing Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadets
Tom Meeks talks with Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadets about the 3D-printed gears they designed.

The 3D printing classes YouthQuest Foundation Training Director Tom Meeks teaches are truly multi-dimensional. While his students work on understanding the science and math of additive manufacturing, they also learn lessons in life.

During one recent session, Cadets from Freestate and Capital Guardian ChalleNGe Academies were creating sets of gears when the subject suddenly shifted to Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb.

Tom told the class that Edison – who was once labeled “too stupid to learn anything” by a teacher – built about 1,000 unsuccessful prototypes before finally making a bulb that worked. When a reporter asked how it felt to fail 1,000 times, Edison replied: “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

The story resonated with the Cadets, most of whom had failed in school and dropped out. They realized that quitting high school was a mistake and they enrolled in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program to change their lives by resuming their education.

Step by step, YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative is showing at-risk teens that mistakes are opportunities to learn and improve.

Tom Meeks Moment of Inspiration software
Tom Meeks Moment of Inspiration software to show how to design a part to hold a gear.

Instructors at Maryland’s Freestate and Capital Guardian, serving the District of Columbia, choose promising Cadets to take part in the 3D ThinkLink Initiative, which YouthQuest sponsors to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education.

“It’s really important to the YouthQuest mission that we not just do 3D printing as an end in itself. It’s got to be integrated into what the students are learning,” explained Tom.

For example, the Cadets used math concepts such as ratios in designing their gears with Moment of Inspiration software. They also had to apply physics and engineering principles to make sure the parts would work together correctly after being fabricated by a Cube 3D printer.

“Is this stuff easy? No,” Tom told a class as some Cadets stumbled through the gear-building steps. “Why were you chosen? Because you can do hard things. I know you can do it!”

‘Your Failures Are Not Final’

The first assignment for these students was to create a cookie cutter. The results ranged from nearly perfect to way, way off.

Instead of the planned star-shaped outline, a couple of objects came off the printer as solid blocks of plastic. Tom playfully declared the botched cookie cutters to be “cookie mashers” and said he was glad to see them because they helped make the most important point about these classes.

first 3D printed objects cookie cutters
Mixed bag: The first cookie cutters Cadets created.

“Your failures are not final. You can redesign it and print it again.”

It’s a message Tom repeats frequently as he encourages the Cadets to work together and solve problems through creative thinking.

“It’s really a ‘thinking class’ more than a 3D printing class,” he said.

“We want them to learn to love learning. We want them to know that when they do fail, they can analyze that failure, study that failure, and then go on to make changes that make a positive result in their lives.”

‘These 3D Classes Are Awesome’

The project is a tremendous confidence-builder for Cadets, according to Keith Hammond, Manager of Information Systems at Capital Guardian and former Placement Coordinator at Freestate.

Cadets from Freestate and Capital Guardian combined class
Cadets from Freestate and Capital Guardian meet in a combined class Oct. 26.

“They’ve gone from being the kids nobody wanted in class, who got kicked out of school,” said Keith, who has been deeply involved in the classes since the pilot project at Freestate early this year. “Now they’re in the top 1 percent of their student population because they know something that 99 percent of the kids do not know. They understand 3D printing – additive manufacturing – and they’ve been successful at it. So now they carry themselves with confidence in all their other classes.”

Freestate science instructor Timmy Jackson has seen Cadets who didn’t seem interested in academics at first become more engaged, thanks to the 3D ThinkLink Initiative. He recalled one in particular who started out as “maybe a C student in science.”

“Once he came to the 3D program, he became basically like an expert. He was actually giving some hints to the instructor,” he said.

“These 3D classes are awesome for the kids,” he added. “Some of them are already talking about this as a future. They want to know how they can get involved in it once they graduate.”

Keith has heard the same praise from other instructors at Freestate and Capital Guardian.

“They say, ‘Wow, the 3D kids are really stepping up their game now,’” he beamed. “So I can challenge them more and they’re not as frustrated when they fail because they’ve understood what Tom is teaching them: Failure can lead to success. It’s just one step.”

The Next Steps

YouthQuest has invited other National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs in the mid-Atlantic region to start classes at their Academies early next year. Next summer, select students from all the programs will be invited to the Foundation’s headquarters in Chantilly, Va., for 40 hours of immersion training in the 3D ThinkLink Lab.

If you would like to make a contribution to keep this life-changing educational program growing, click here to donate or contact us at info@youthquestfoundation.org or (703) 234-4633.

YouthQuest Academy YouTube Channel Debuts

News

YouthQuest Academy YouTube ChannelThe YouthQuest Foundation has launched a special channel on YouTube to support teachers in our 3D printing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education project.

The YouthQuest Academy Channel is at www.youtube.com/user/YouthQuestAcademy.

The channel is a collection of instructional videos made by YouthQuest Training Director Tom Meeks for the teachers in the 3D printing classes we are sponsoring at the Capital Guardian and Freestate ChalleNGe Academies this fall.

As the project expands to other states next year, this video supplement to the curriculum will become  even more important for keeping teachers on the same track, even if they’re hundreds of miles apart.

We’ve seen how our 3D printing classes help show at-risk teens how they can build a better future for themselves through creative thinking, teamwork and perseverance. We believe that is a valuable lesson for anyone. That’s why we’re making all YouthQuest Academy Channel videos available to the public, so teachers and students anywhere can start to explore the new world possibilities in 3D printing.

A couple of introductory videos are posted now and many more will be added soon. Stay tuned!

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