Tag: Asia Baker-Stevenson

Congratulations to Our 3D ThinkLink Scholarship Winners

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLICK HERE the read the complete essays

Spring 2017 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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

By Asia Baker-Stevenson
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

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

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

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

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

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

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By LaMarcus Corley
Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy

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

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

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

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