These students from the 2018 fall class cycle earned $1,000 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.
By Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy
Well I’m going to be honest. At first I wasn’t sure if I had made the right choice about picking 3D Printing over Welding. I was kind of disappointed in the first 3D printing class because it was boring and nothing seemed to catch my attention and I wanted to drop out of the class as soon as possible! Then we ended up going on a field trip and we went to a place called The Foundery in Baltimore. During this trip I got to see a lot of interesting thing such as water jet cutters, blacksmithing, woodworking, welding, laser engraving and a lot of other things. This made me change my perspective and made me realize how cool and unique things can be when you learn to build things on your own and you get a feeling of satisfaction when doing it.
The YouthQuest 3D printing program has helped me think outside of the box. It helped me change the way I look at simple things like lines, shapes, and sizes. 3D printing made me realize that I don’t have to be a kid to have an imagination and being a part of 3D printing allows me to think freely. It allows me to use the Moment of Inspiration program to use my creativity and put it into practice. This program allows me to make a design and then bring it to life. I got to see 3D designs on a computer screen and comparing it to when it is actually in my hands is a great experience no words can describe.
Another great experience I had was going to the Harford Community College and getting to see all the different types of printers that exist and asking questions about how they work and what they do affects our future in great ways. Technology is a big part of my generation and being able to see a printer that is able to create limbs for people is so amazing.
The 3D program is a good program for people who have a lot of creativity and want to see things come to life. With 3D printing, designs are very complex and they are tiny layers sticking together. It starts from the bottom and comes up layer by layer. With 3D printing you have a freedom of design and customizing at the same time. But this program allows you to use less shaping materials then traditional manufacturing methods. I believe that 3D printing was a great opportunity for me to be a part of something. I got a chance to see things differently than most of the cadets here and I appreciate it. I now realize that I made a great choice to stay with 3D printing because it got me to see the world and what revolves around me differently. I no longer see things with a simple mind. I got to have a different experience and I would do it all over again if I had a chance to.
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By Caleb Pearson
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy
When I was twelve or thirteen years old I caught my first glimpse of 3D printing. I saw a man on the news with a 3D printed prosthetic arm writing his own name and that’s when I started to see 3D printing everywhere. It was being mentioned in magazines to describe the structure of certain products and I saw the terminology used in shows and some movies I watched. I never knew how the printing was done or what did it but now thanks to the 3D printing program hosted by the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy I can understand that process much better.
The YouthQuest program changed my concept of what 3D printing is into something I never thought to consider. When I first thought about how manufacturers used computers to design their products I thought it took genius level skills in mathematics to complete. Contrary to that belief it’s so simple I learned how to create a 3D object in just three lessons. The YouthQuest program uses nouns and verbs and a little math here and there to create objects in the four viewing platforms. My first project was to make a cookie cutter by extruding two rings and then using another tool to sharpen its edges. It seems like a simple task but I had a blast just doing that with the assistance of the instructional videos, which are very helpful in my opinion. The key phrase during the class: mistakes are not final, nothing is so bad that you can’t come back from it.
The 3D printing program altered my view of that itself, but that phrase changed my mentality towards my reality. I signed up for this 3D program thinking it would teach me how to make and design cool things. I thought they would hand me some papers that told me how to do everything but I was sorely mistaken. The teachers, both physical and digital, get in-depth with the students on issues they might have or run into while working with the program and how to correct them. I was happy to see that the bottom left corner of the menu screen had an “Undo” button when I made a mistake, it makes things so much easier to work with.
Integrating this form of manufacturing into my lifestyle seems a lot more plausible now that I’ve seen it used in the career field I’d like to pursue, which is engineering in general at the moment. The 3D printing team took a field trip to a company called Duncan-Parnell who manufactures and services their machines. We learned about the many different forms of 3D printing and the different materials they can print. I used to believe that carbon-fiber was the toughest material to work with but it turns out their company has a machine that actually prints with that material. My mind was blown by this point of our trip but it got even better.
After the business visit, we went off to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The staff at UNCC took us on a tour with the engineering program. The aerospace program had a rocket with a 3D printed nose cone and rover which they used at a competition which was overseen by NASA. They had a crew of over 15 people which was used to make just that one rocket. I loved the next part where they took us all through the machining and 3D printing facilities, which had a temperature-controlled room which I had never been into. One of the guides for our group shared his story of how he had never gotten that big of an education in math, which I could really relate to but had never heard before, lifted my spirits about my future in the engineering field. I guess that’s what really solidified my resolve to pursue that career path and is how it will affect my life.
I know I’ve learned that my path in life is not ultimately decided by my mistakes and that I am still working on a few that I’ve made. I know that I will still make more of them in future, hopefully not too many, and I’ll learn from those too. Right now I’m happy with the doors I’ve opened and the ones I’m still working on opening to better my future. I hope my efforts pay off and I accomplish everything I put my mind to. Thank you SCYCA for the opportunity to grow into a better person
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By Chigaru Todd
Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy
I truly appreciate being chosen for this potential scholarship. My name is Chigaru A. Todd and I attend Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. I am 16 years old and I live in Northeast, Washington, DC. I believe I should be chosen for this scholarship because I have demonstrated hard-work ethics, responsibility, and the willingness to learn and further my knowledge. I am a very creative individual with the readiness to work and achieve great possibilities. Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” While attending Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy I was given the opportunity to experience a training which involved a 3D ThinkLink course. This course consists of a program called Moment of Inspiration. While using this program we are able to build objects and produce them on our 3D printing machine.
The program was taught to me in a step by step process. At the end of this process each student in my class was able to build their own 3D key chain. Each student completed their key chain. When I finished mine I felt empowered. I was very intrigued by the 3D software and what it detailed. The wise words of Audrey Hepburn, “Nothing is impossible, for the word itself says I’m possible” inspired me to continue on with 3D ThinkLink training and the outstanding growth it brought to my leadership goals.
My fellow cadets and I were greeted with such gratitude and enthusiasm, it made my peers and I feel as though we were on top of the world. To be offered a scholarship of this magnitude at this point in my life is a blessing. Being able to use computers for graphic arts and be recognized for it is a dream come true. Graphic arts is something that has always fascinated me. I plan to stay focused and further my career in the graphic engineering field.
I remember my father always telling me, “You are so intelligent and if you use your mind for good, you can really go far in life.” I always think about him saying this in my mind and use it for motivation. If not for my father I probably, never mind the probably, I would not be where I am right now. He has inspired me to obtain and achieve the unachievable. If I receive this scholarship, it would make my father proud and it would also make me proud. It would be an honor and a blessing to receive this scholarship. Thank you very much for an opportunity such as this that you have given me.
I believe that you must be willing to change your perspective to seek ultimate opportunities. Prior to coming into Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy I had no intentions of participating in any extracurricular activities, but I found interest in 3D Printing and Systems. 3D printing has been an outlet I’ve used to be creative while also gaining knowledge of the next generation’s technology. Since the start of the course I have learned not only the concept of 3D printing, but how to come with up an idea, design it, and turn it into reality. I often had troubles in school understanding key points, but since being a part of 3D printing, my way of thinking has gradually changed. I am very grateful to be able to express myself now through my work.
After graduating Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, I plan to return as a peer mentor to encourage those who are in the position I was in. After that, I plan to enlist in the Army. My overall goal is to enlist into the military as a Public Affairs Specialist while majoring in Media Communications and Hospitality Management. I plan to take the skills I learned from 3D printing and utilize them in my personal life. I hope to design personalized 3D print items that will provide another stream of income as an entrepreneur.
One of my ultimate life goals is to be able to help my father financially by becoming self-sufficient. Growing up in a single parent household, my father has been the most influential person in life. I watched him struggle to raise me as a young female. I believe that everything I do is in honor of my father.
He instilled in me knowledge and gave me the guidance that I will need to be independent. I am excited for the future and thankful for what 3D printing has given me.