Tag: scholarship

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”.

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.

Scholarship Winners Pursue Their College Dreams

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3D ThinkLink instructor Charles Johnson awards scholarships to essay competetion winners (l-r) Emilee Bray, Kimora Felton and Kathaleen Polanco at South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduation December 9, 2015

Three young women who earned scholarships in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink essay competition are taking the next steps toward their career goals.

Emilee Bray, Kimora Felton and Kathaleen Polanco each won $500 for writing about their experiences in our 3D design and printing classes at South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

After graduating from SCYCA in December, Kathaleen started the new year by enrolling in South Carolina’s Aiken Technical College while Emilee and Kimora traveled to Chantilly, Virginia for a week of advanced training in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab.

3D ThinkLink student Kathaleen Polanco visits 3D Systems in Rock Hill, SC, for Vocational Orientation October 22, 2015
Kathaleen Polanco at 3D Systems in Rock Hill, South Carolina for Vocational Orientation

“Before South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, I was a mess,” Kathaleen confessed.

Her young life took a dramatic turn last April when she was shot while partying with friends. By year’s end, she had completed the 22-week residential program at SCYCA, which included our 3D ThinkLink training.

“I can proudly say I’m clean and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” Kathaleen said. “I honestly finally feel at peace with life.”

In her essay, she described 3D class as “an escape … where I can be in my own little place, a place where I can design any and everything.”

Kathaleen gave credit to our Director of Instruction, Tom Meeks, for encouraging her to continue her education.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Emilee Brays designs a ring during immersion training week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab January 5, 2016
Emilee Bray designs a ring during 3D ThinkLink Immersion Lab Week

“Tom inspired me to be a better me and never give up no matter how hard life gets,” wrote Kathaleen, who is studying computer networking.

Emilee joined Kathaleen at Aiken Tech immediately after the week of immersion training in our lab. She plans to graduate in May with CNA (certified nursing assistant), electrocardiogram and phlebotomy certificates. Her long-term goal is to become a nurse anesthetist.

“3D printing is starting to get popular now, especially in the nursing field,” Emilee explained. “If I were to tell them that I went through this kind of program, there’s no doubt that I would get that job!”

Besides strengthening her resume, the 3D ThinkLink experience taught her how to think through problems and overcome obstacles.

“It’s not just in 3D printing that you learn from your mistakes. It’s in life that you learn from your mistakes,” said Emilee.

Kimora agreed that our classes helped her learn to think in new ways.

SDouth Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate Kimora Felton sets up a 3D printer in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab during immersion training week January 5, 2016
Kimora Felton sets up a 3D printer in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab

“Before getting involved with 3D printing, my mind was scattered,” she recalled in her essay. “Trying to relieve anger and finding ways to express myself, I’d do things that made me act out of character, which led me to think I wasn’t worth anything at all.”

Kimora said 3D ThinkLink gave her a new way to express herself and boosted her self-esteem.

Like Emilee, she hopes to use her 3D skills on the job. Kimora, who wants to be a veterinarian, is enrolled in the Veterinary Assistant program at Horry Georgetown Technical College in Conway, South Carolina.

She was inspired by the video she watched in class about Derby, a dog born with deformed front legs who is able to walk thanks to 3D-printed prosthetic legs.

“Involving 3D printing into this field will give deformed, damaged or diseased animals that are on the verge of being euthanized a second chance,” Kimora wrote in her scholarship-winning essay.

CLICK HERE to read the complete essays

2015 Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These three students from the 2015 fall-winter class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

_________________________________________

By Kathaleen Polanco
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Kathaleen Polanco Aponte Bejarano and I’m from Beaufort County. I was born in Hilton Head Island, but I live in Bluffton. I was chosen by Mr. Johnson to be in the 3D printing class, which by the way, I’m so excited to be in. I find it amazing that I and nine other girls are in 3D printing out of the entire nineteen cadets available. To me 3-D printing is a way to escape real life. It’s a way where I can be in my own little place, a place where I can design any and everything. It’s new way to release my anger.

I find that being in 3D printing gives me another opportunity in life, actually this whole program gives me another opportunity in life. I want to surround myself with positive things and positive people. I’m so happy my parents sent me to this program, Of course I didn’t want to go to South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy but after the first day I realized it was my last chance to make my parents and myself proud. I’m sick of breaking my parents’ heart. I needed a change in the life I was living. I see a change in me that no one in my family thought could happen.

I can proudly say I’m proud of myself for participating in 3D printing I would love to make things for my sister and my parents even for my future babies. I’m going to be very honest, after this program I wasn’t sure of what I was going to do with my life. That’s exactly why I’ve decided to join Aiken Tech College and study Computer Networking where I can further my education and hopefully further my skills with a 3D printer.

It was so good to meet Tom. He gave me the idea to further my education. I wasn’t sure if I was going to complete this program with my GED. When I asked Tom if I could make it out on the real world and survive without my GED, he told me anything is possible, it would just be little harder without any higher education. Tom inspired me to be a better me and never give up no matter how hard life gets. ‘’Fall seven get up eight.’’

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

This quote to me means that you can decide where you end up in life and that you have the brains and you have the power and you can walk the steps necessary to be successful in life…..YOU!

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By Kimora Felton
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Kimora Felton. I’m 16 years old and from Myrtle Beach SC. I’m a cadet from the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

Before getting involved with 3D printing my mind was scattered. Trying to relieve anger and finding ways to express myself, I’d do things that made me act out of character, which led me to think I wasn’t worth anything at all. Finding myself as a student of Youth Quest Foundation Program made me think of myself as someone. I finally found a way to express myself through creating digital objects and turning them all into 3 dimensional physical models.

First, I got a mental image of the idea. Secondly, I transferred my mental image onto the computer. Finally, I printed the object out using the Cube 3 3D printing machine.

I decided that I would involve 3D Printing into my future career. I plan to major in Animal Science at Coastal Carolina University which will authorize me to be veterinarian. Involving 3D printing into this field will give deformed, damaged or diseased animals that are on the verge of being euthanized a second chance. “All creatures are deserving of a life free from fear and pain.”- Maura Cummings

3D printing will allow me to create prosthetic limbs and implants for injured animals, which will make life trouble-free and unchallenging. By scanning a healthy animal just like the injured one, I can generate the body part to be molded and printed. As the animal grows, the implant or amputee will have to be changed out and made again. The materials used in 3D printing can not only copy the function of the missing part, but also combine with the structure of the animal. For every animal that would have put down, 3D printing has brought far more than a million reasons to continuing life for such animals.

I feel that I deserve this immersion scholarship because I’ve shown a mass amount of interpersonal communication skills, hard-work ethic and creativity.

_________________________________________

By Emilee Bray
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Emilee Bray, I was born on April 24th 1998, and this makes me 17 years of age. I am currently a cadet at South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy, my reason for attending this academy is to acquire my GED.

I have been offered many opportunities including 3D printing. The 3D printer was founded by Charles W. Hull in the mid-1980s. 3D printers use a process called “stereolithography” which uses UV lasers to strengthen photopolymer that creates 3D parts by layers.

I plan on enrolling in Aiken Technical College in January 2016 to study Health Care; health care is a constant topic in society today. Now, with the fast paced development of additive inventions,  the increasingly popular technologies often referred to as 3D printers, the future of health care is proceeding in ways both acquainted and dramatically new. 3D printing is making a significant impact on health care patients, whether it’s a cast or a brace. Medical professionals are rising in discovering this printing device because it shortens costs and improves healthcare patients.

3D printing has impacted my life in a number of ways. On October 22nd, 2015 my 3D printing class and I went to 3D Systems and two other 3D printing centers. I learned a variety of interesting facts, one of them being this device can print food, human body parts, and other fun and exciting objects such as iPhone cases and any device stand to prop your gadget. You can also 3D print different materials like glass, gold, platinum, silver, titanium and other steels, etc. If I were to break any type of bone in my body, I could 3D print a cast or splint for myself that would make a big impact in my life.

John F. Kennedy once said: “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction”, meaning if you don’t make an effort or have enough courage to do what you want to do in life than you won’t succeed or have a purpose in whatever you want to do. With that being said, when I become an assistant in the medical field I will have courage and make an effort to change somebody’s life all thanks to 3D printing.

Essay Is ‘Clear Winner’ in Scholarship Competition

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YouthQuest 3D ThinkLink esssay contest winner Aaliyah Lilly of South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy with quote: I am excited for the future"

Aaliyah Lilly, a South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduate, has earned a $500 scholarship for writing an outstanding essay about what she experienced in the YouthQuest Foundation’s 3D ThinkLink class.

“I often had troubles in school understanding key points, but since being a part of 3D printing, my way of thinking has gradually changed,” she wrote.

Cadet Aaliyah Lilly receives her essay contest scholarship from YouthQuest Secretary Bill Hall at SCYCA graduation June 10.
Cadet Aaliyah Lilly receives her award from YouthQuest Secretary Bill Hall at SCYCA graduation June 10.

Aaliyah, 17, is one of 25 Cadets at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academies who completed the 3D ThinkLink course during the latest class cycle. In the process of learning the basics of 3D design and printing, the students developed better critical thinking and problem solving skills.

3D ThinkLink training also provided a creative outlet, Aaliyah said, and introduced her to “the next generation’s technology.”

Aaliyah will receive her scholarship money when she enrolls in a higher education or trade school program. She’s interested in studying Media Communications and Hospitality Management and aspires to become a Public Affairs Specialist in the military.

But first, she wants to share what she’s learned with others at SCYCA.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadets LaKrisopher McCoy, Aaliyah Lilly and Shiann O'Shea visit 3D Systems headquarters for Vocational Orientation in April.
SCYCA Cadets LaKrisopher McCoy, Aaliyah Lilly and Shiann O’Shea visit 3D Systems headquarters for Vocational Orientation.

“After graduating Youth ChalleNGe Academy I plan return as a peer mentor to encourage those who are in the position I was in,” she wrote.

The competition was judged by YouthQuest supporter John Gilstrap, the New York Times bestselling author whose new thriller Against All Enemies comes out in July. He declared Aaliyah’s essay to be the “clear winner.”

“While several were very well written, this one reached beyond the introspection of how the program changed their lives to embrace how the lessons learned can then be passed along to a new group of future students,” he said.

You can read Aaliyah’s essay at the bottom of this page. Here are excerpts from essays some of her fellow students entered in the contest.

“Back home, not too many people believed in me and I often heard what I could not or would not do, but this program has given me more power to prove them wrong. … Thanks to 3D it has made me a better artist and very creative, I would have never known I could be so passionate and it has been very empowering to develop such skills. I have put a lot of hard work into this program and I have really enjoyed being a part of 3D.” – Tyeshia Blackmond, 17, Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, Washington, DC

“Since I joined the 3D printing class I have learned that everything does not come out right the first time. I have learned that it takes patience, hard work and dedication to have a successful print. For example the first item we made in 3D was a key chain. I believed it would take no longer than 20 to 30 minutes but it took up to 3 to 4 classes to completely finish because of all the shapes and lines needed. I wanted my project to be perfect so after every print I looked closely at the key chain. When the outcome was not right or did not look presentable to me I would have to fix it. This class also gave me motivation to stay in Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy as a Cadet. Learning 3D was hard but it is worth it.” – Ronnell Dillard, 17, CGYCA

“I knew that I was going to learn something new, but I was not sure what it would be about or how challenging it would be. Once I was in the program, my perception and outlook changed, dramatically. I recently saw a quote that said, “Don’t let your fear of breaking things keep you from trying new experiments. That’s how you learn about the real world.” Now that I’ve gotten an opportunity to practice using the program and learning from it, I see that it is a fun and addictive program that can and is being used in daily society… And if I break something, it’s OK. I’ll print it again.” – TreVaughn McBride, 17, Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, Maryland

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How 3D Printing Has Changed My Life

by Aaliyah M. Lilly, age 17
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

I believe that you must be willing to change your perspective to seek ultimate opportunities. Prior to coming into South Carolina 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 Youth ChalleNGe Academy I plan return as a peer mentor to encourage those who are in the position I was in. After that, I plan to attend AmeriCorps. However, 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.

3D ThinkLink Students Earn Scholarships in Essay Competition

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Essay contest scholarship winner Kamie Moody with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Co-Founder Lynda Mann. at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy December 9, 2014.

The YouthQuest Foundation awarded $500 scholarships to four at-risk teens who wrote outstanding essays about what being in our 3D ThinkLink classes meant to them.

Sherquana Adams and Michael Foster were honored during the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy’s awards ceremony in Eastover, S.C., on Dec. 3. Caleb Dujmovic and Kamie Moody received their awards Dec. 9 at Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in Edgewood, Maryland.

“3D printing has given me a completely new confidence about the way I think when creating,” Kamie, 19, wrote in her essay. “I’ve learned that I don’t have to be the best artist, I just have to have the capacity to think outside of the box.”

She recalled the 3D ThinkLink Initiative’s most important lesson: Failure is not final.

University of Maryland graduate student Kim Ferlin talks with Kamie Moody in the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Lab at the Maryland NanoCenter.
University of Maryland graduate student Kim Ferlin talks with Kamie Moody in the Tissue Engineering Lab at the Maryland NanoCenter.

Kamie and her classmates learned that the 3D objects they designed rarely turned out as expected the first time. The software and hardware we provided made it easy for them to analyze their mistakes, improve their designs and quickly print new versions.

“It takes us a few tries before we get our desired outcome,” Kamie explained. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve bitten off more than we could chew, it just means that we have to put in more work to get to our goal. The key is to keep trying.”

This is a radically different way of thinking for young people who once responded to failure by giving up on school.

Our project does more than introduce students to the basics of 3D design and printing. It teaches them about critical thinking and problem solving – skills that are sorely lacking in high school dropouts.

‘I Have Found My Gift’

Our students in Maryland and South Carolina, as well as those at the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, enrolled in the programs run by the National Guard to resume their education and develop the fundamental life skills they need to become successful adults. Their teachers chose them for our 3D ThinkLink classes to supplement their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education.

The rigorous 22-week residential program “can get extremely challenging at times,” Kamie wrote. “I was desperate to find an outlet. 3D printing became that outlet.”

Our training gave her the tools to bring out her “inner creativity.”

“I’ve been a tactile learner for as long as I can remember.” Kamie continued. “I loved to put things together to challenge my mind to build things from scraps and make them into something complete.”

“The feeling I get when I’ve brought to life something that started off as a mere thought in my head is indescribable.”

Kamie’s success in class has inspired her to continue pursuing a career in architecture and design.

“I truly believe that I have found my gift and with it, I plan to leave my mark,” she declared.

Essay contest scholarship winner Caleb Dujmovic with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Co-Founder Lynda Mann.
Scholarship winner Caleb Dujmovic with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Co-Founder Lynda Mann.

Our 3D ThinkLink training led Kamie’s Freestate classmate Caleb Dujmovic to discover his passion for the field of bio-engineering during a Vocational Orientation tour of the Maryland NanoCenter at the University of Maryland in College Park.

“My group and I were given the opportunity to visit a laboratory there, and witness first-hand the uses of 3D printing outside of the classroom,” Caleb wrote in his essay. “We were given a crash course in how the laboratory creates small bones and blood vessels for the human body.”

Caleb, 18, described his visit to the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Lab as an “amazing experience” that sparked a “profound interest that I never knew I would have.”

‘This Class Really Opened My Mind’

Michael Foster listens to Dr. David Rocheleau explain how a 3D printing is used at the University of South Carolina Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Michael Foster listens to Dr. David Rocheleau explain how a 3D printing is used at the University of South Carolina Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Michael Foster’s essay made it clear he has taken to heart the message he heard from some of 3D Systems, Inc.’s top executives during his Vocational Orientation tour of the company’s headquarters in Rock Hill, S.C.

“I am the future of 3D printing,” wrote Michael, 17. “I know it sounds a little dramatic but it’s true; it’s up to me and people like me to pick up the torch and carry this passion to the next creative minds.”

“I believe that this is the place where I put my foot in the door to the future.”

Michael, who aspires to join the military and study photography, said his 3D ThinkLink experience made him realize “we really have no limitations.”

His SCYCA classmate Sherquana Adams also described the training as enlightening.

“This class really opened my mind and eyes to a lot more than I thought I would know. I never knew you could do so many things by just using a computer,” Sherquana, 18, said in her essay.

Sherquana Adams tries on 3D-printed eyeglasses during a visit to 3D Systems headquarters in Rock Hill, SC.
Sherquana Adams tries on 3D-printed eyeglasses during a visit to 3D Systems headquarters in Rock Hill, SC.

Sherquana, who has a 2-year-old son and wants to become a surgical technician, was intrigued to learn how 3D printing is helping children whose hands are deformed by Amniotic Band Syndrome. Instead of relying on standard artificial limbs that they quickly outgrow, these children can now use simple, plastic “robohands.” The parts are made with a 3D printer and can be scaled up easily as a child grows. Best of all, each hand costs less than $100, compared to tens of thousands for a traditional prosthetic device.

All of our scholarship winners will have the opportunity to create customized robohands and work on other projects to expand their skills during a week of immersion training in our in 3D ThinkLink Lab next month.

This was our second essay competition of 2014. Freestate’s Requan Da Sant won the first contest in June. This time, 13 students from Maryland, South Carolina and DC submitted essays. They were reviewed by our Board of Directors and John Gilstrap, a bestselling author and YouthQuest supporter.

The winners will receive their scholarship money when they become enrolled in a higher education or trade school program.

CLICK HERE to read all four winning essays.

Scholarship-Winning 3D ThinkLink Student Essays

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These four students from the 2014 fall-winter class cycle earned $500 scholarships for these essays about their 3D ThinkLink experience.

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Unlocking the Wonders of My World
by Kamie Moody, Age 19
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Kamie Moody. I am a cadet of Freestate ChalleNGe Academy in Edgewood Maryland. I came to Freestate to take advantage of an opportunity to better my future. Although Freestate is a wonderful program, it can get extremely challenging at times and with the kind of person that I am I was desperate to find an outlet. 3D Printing became that outlet.

Since I was a little girl, I absolutely loved arts and crafts. Anything that allowed me to get my hands dirty and let out my inner creativity, I found alluring. I’ve been a tactile learner for as long as I can remember. I loved to put things together to challenge my mind to build things from scraps and make them into something complete. I was pleased to hear that my case manager recognized these abilities and recommended me for the 3D program. My experience in the program has been better than I could have ever imagined, at no time in my life have I ever thought of myself as capable of making the things that Mr.Meeks and Mrs.Mann have given me the opportunity to make. For that I am truly grateful.

3D Printing has given me a completely new confidence about the way I think when creating. I’ve learned that I don’t have to be the best artist, I just have to have the capacity to think outside of the box. Mr.Meeks has always said “The most important part of the process is to learn how to fail.” We as new participants always come up with elaborate designs and because we aren’t as skilled as a professional, it takes us a few tries before we get our desired outcome. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve bitten off more than we could chew, it just means that we have to put in more work to get to our goal. The key is to keep trying.

As one of my favorite singers Aaliyah said in her song “Try Again”, “If at first you don’t succeed dust yourself off and try again.” I’ve had to dust myself off plenty of times before being able to sit back and admire my creation, but I never quit. The feeling I get when I’ve brought to life something that started off as a mere thought in my head is indescribable. My success in 3D has inspired me to continue my quest in life as a designer. I want to bring my vision to life not only for my enjoyment but for the enjoyment of others as well. I truly believe that I have found my gift and with it I plan to leave my mark. As Beyoncé said in her song “I Was Here”, “I want to leave my footprints on the sand of time, know there was something that meant something that I left behind, when I leave this world, I’ll leave no regrets, I’ll leave something to remember, so they won’t forget.”

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On the Path to Success
by Caleb Dujmovic, Age 18
Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

This program has been nothing short of an amazing journey, from learning the foundations of creating a 3D object, to learning the many uses of 3d printing outside of the classroom. Along with learning how to print a 3D spaceship or plane, I’ve learned more about interests I never knew I would have. These include the creating of blood vessels, bones, nerves, and skin tissue to the other side of the spectrum that include the creation of weapons; using the simples tools and techniques our teachers have taught us inside of the classroom. Altogether this has done nothing but enlighten me to 3D printing and to what it can offer me.

When it comes to possible careers, this program has peaked my interest in Bio-Engineering, and it all started when we took our trip to the University of Maryland. My group and I were given the opportunity to visit a laboratory there, and witness first-hand the uses of 3D printing outside of the classroom. We were given a crash course in how the laboratory creates small bones and blood vessels for the human body along with the tests they have done up to this point with the blood vessels and bones they have manufactured. They told us the steps they take from the very beginning were: printing a 3D scaffold, using a protein-rich substance called media to duplicate the desired cell that would wrap around the scaffold, and allowing the cell to grow and envelope the scaffold to form either the bone or the blood vessels.  From this point the bone or the blood vessel can be implanted wherever it is needed. From everything I’ve learned from that amazing experience was my profound interest that I never knew I would have of the Bio-Engineering field.

All together the 3D printing program has done wonders for me, from showing me new career fields I may choose, to careers I have found because of this program. I can’t thank Mr. Meeks and Mrs. Mann, and the people that chose me for this program enough. I hope to use what I learned in this program in a future career, or even just for personal use.

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My 3D ThinkLink Life
by Michael Foster, Age 17
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Michael Dylan Foster. I am a 17 years old. I live in Florence SC. But I currently attend Youth Challenge Academy where I plan on obtaining my GED and many other opportunities that may be presented to me like the 3D ThinkLink Moment of Inspiration program.

What most people fail to realize is that 3D printing has had an impact in everyone’s daily lives, even if they believe it or not 3D printing is about to make an extraordinary change in the world. Before I truly discovered the amazing capabilities of 3D printing I was one of those people who heard of it but never thought it was anything worth taking interest in. I started the 3D ThinkLink Moment of Inspiration program with the same beliefs. The more and more I learned, the more and more I became fascinated with the idea that whatever you wish to create, you can. There are endless possibilities that derive from the exciting world of three dimensional objects.

3D printing and fashion combined in a harmonious relationship can be so useful and productive by actually printing out clothing and shoes. It can be unimaginably innovative in the medical field by working together to cause people to walk again by giving them a 3D printed exoskeleton. It also operates in synergy with the food service industry to make beautiful works of food. I am the future of 3D printing. I know it sounds a little dramatic but it’s true; it’s up to me and people like me to pick up the torch and carry this passion to the next creative minds. Every extraordinary person made mistakes and had to overcome obstacles in their paths, that’s what made them extraordinary. “To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.” – Leo Burnett.

This experience has taught me so much and made me realize that we really have no limitations. Others have their reasons for taking this class but I believe that this is the place where I put my foot in the door to the future and I know for a fact that there will be many more amazing and unique opportunities for me to come. No matter how hard we try technology will keep moving forward and all we have to do is put in the effort and catch up with it.

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What 3D Printing Has Taught Me
by Sherquana Adams, Age 18
South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy

My name is Sherquana Adams I’m from Santee, SC. I have a two year old son, and  I’m currently a Cadet at South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy.

3D printing is changing the world in many ways, but let me tell you how 3D printing has changed my life. The training in this class really opened my mind and eyes to a lot more than I thought I would know. I never knew you could do so many things by just using a computer. I now have a way to express myself by making the things that I have always wanted as a child, but couldn’t afford. I would not make them just for myself, but for people all over the world.

Recently, my class and I took an amazing trip to 3D Systems in Rock Hill, Sc. The trip really made me interested in 3-D printing. I saw so many different 3D printers. The Chef Jet really caught my eye because I love food! 3D printing is really taking over technology.

The child who received a 3D printed hand was very intriguing to me as well.

Anastasia was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, this condition leads to congenital abnormalities. In her case, her left arm ends in a tiny, partial palm and button-like buds of fingers. The doctors thought very hard about how to help her.  ‘’We thought we could finally get a prosthetic device that could allow Anastasia to use fingers to pick up and grab things.’’ I thought this was so amazing how 3-D printing design and built a hand to help her accomplish things more easily.

I think she now feels more confident in herself; she is even playing sports, and now is a cheerleader thanks to her 3D printed Robohand. I really enjoyed this class it affords me the opportunity to gain experience and continuing education in the medical field, which is my career goal. I would like to become a surgical technician.

Thank you for this opportunity.

 

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.

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