Tag: Tom Meeks

The YouthQuest Foundation Year in Review: 2019

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3D ThinkLink teachers from Freestate, Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGE Academies with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks

Teachers are at the heart of our mission to change the lives of at-risk youth. That’s why, as we roll the closing credits for 2019, our 3D ThinkLink instructors top the list of people who played starring roles for the YouthQuest Foundation this year.

Thanks to the teachers we trained at National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs serving Maryland, South Carolina and the District of Columbia, 57 more cadets completed our 3D ThinkLink class this year. That brings the total number of Youth ChalleNGe cadets we’ve reached to more than 300 since 2013, when we began using 3D printing as a vehicle to teach underserved teens job skills and life skills.

Jamarr Dennis, Demyound Wright and Germaine Rasberry at 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training in February 2019
Teacher Training, February 2019

This year’s instructors were: Germaine Rasberry and Demyond Wright from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy; Jamarr Dennis and Aaron Ancrum from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy; Keith Hammond and La-Toya Hamilton from DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

In addition to carrying out many other responsibilities at their schools, these teachers devoted time to conduct classes and print students’ projects, organize 3D-printing community service projects, and transport their cadets to Vocational Orientation field trips. They also traveled to our lab in Chantilly Virginia, in February and September to sharpen their skills at teacher training sessions. In June and November, they returned with top students selected for Advanced Training, which provided hands-on learning experiences to prepare the cadets for continued education and careers in 3D printing.

PHILLIPS Schools

As with the ChalleNGe programs, workforce development became a new priority this year in our partnership with the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families.

The PHILLIPS teachers we trained have used their 3D ThinkLink skills to tailor our curriculum for their students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These students often have great attention to detail, deep focus, tenacity, pattern recognition and outside-the-box thinking skills that help them excel at 3D design and printing.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks is working closely with Sam Son, who oversees the 3D classes at PHILLIPS, to identify employment opportunities for young people with ASD.

PHILLIPS student Ladrious Eaton works with YouthQuest's powder/binder 3D printer
PHILLIPS student Ladrious works on the iTech project

A highlight of the year was a project Tom organized to demonstrate how we can help teens on the autism spectrum develop skills to become independent, successful adults.

PHILLIPS teachers Jim Field and Joseph Phillips brought Henry, Ladrious and John, students from the Annandale and Fairfax, Virginia, campuses, to our lab in June to be part of a unique cross-country collaboration with kids at a STEM-focused magnet school in Vancouver, Washington.

Award-winning teacher John Zingale’s 7th and 8th graders at iTech Preparatory did 3D scanning of 19th-century artifacts from the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site to create an interactive virtual museum. But they had no way to make realistic, full-color replicas of the scanned artifacts that could be handled and studied without fear of damaging the originals. Tom arranged to have the PHILLIPS students use one of the powder/binder 3D printers in YouthQuest’s lab to create the reproductions for iTech.

Over the course of three days, Henry, Ladrious and John mastered every step of the process: taking in the 3D image files; preparing the files in the printing software; setting up and operating the printer; post-processing the printed objects; and packaging them for shipping to Vancouver.

Henry, John and Ladrious with box of 3D printed artifact replicas to ship to Vancouver iTech Prep
Henry, John and Ladrious

It was especially gratifying to have Henry involved in the iTech project. He was in our first 3D class at the PHILLIPS School in Annandale and attended a week of advanced training in our lab in 2017. Henry, who says he wants to be “a tech guru,” graduated from PHILLIPS in June.

The Mighty, a website that connects and empowers millions of people facing disabilities and health challenges, featured this article about the difference our program has made in Henry’s life.

The iTech project came full-circle when “Mr. Z” and some of his students visited our lab while they were in the DC area for the National History Day Contest. PHILLIPS Career Partners Director Lindsay Harris was there to let the students from Vancouver know how much the team from her school appreciated working with them.

Volunteers, Partners and Sponsors

In keeping with this year’s focus on teachers, it’s fitting that our Volunteer of the Year is a teacher.

2019 Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams with YouthQuest Foundation Co-Founders Allen Cage and Lynda Mann at VIP Reception August 1, 2019
Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams

YouthQuest Co-Founders Lynda Mann and Allen Cage presented the award to Chris Adams, a Technology Education teacher at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly at our annual VIP Reception in August. Chris has been sharing his expertise with us for several years. This year, he facilitated the donation of two Z310 powder/binder 3D printers from Fairfax County Public Schools, our 2019 Community Partner Award winner. The professional-grade printers are vital to our job-training initiative.

Our 2019 Strategic Partner Award went to University of Maryland Terrapin Works in appreciation for hosting Vocational Orientation tours of the school’s 3D printing facilities and department of mechanical engineering for Capital Guardian cadets twice a year.

Harford Community College continues to be a valuable resource for our Freestate cadets, as David Antol provides tours of the school’s 3D printing lab. During a Vocational Orientation event in October, they got to meet Maxwell Herzing, a 2018 Freestate graduate who’s now one of Prof. Antol’s Engineering Technology students. Maxwell’s message to the cadets about the importance of doing something you love and not being afraid to make mistakes was right on the mark.

South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadet Ka’Dejah Riley with other 3D ThinkLink students at Vocational Orientation at University of North Carolina-Charlotte 3D printing lab
Vocational Orientation at UNCC

Dr. Jeff Raquet at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte Department of Mechanical Engineering and the 3D printing team at Duncan-Parnell in Charlotte provided valuable Vocational Orientation experiences for our 3D ThinkLink classes from South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy.

All the success we’ve enjoyed this year would not be possible without the financial support of our sponsors. We were pleased to welcome DFS Construction Corporation and DCG Dominion Construction Group as first-time sponsors of our annual golf tournament in August, along with returning sponsors AOC Solutions, FEDAC, the Poole Foundation, the POH Group, Kipps DeSanto, Insperity, Gombos-Leyton, Jones Lang LaSalle, Old Dominion National Bank, CrossFit PR Star and Valley Forge Acquisition Corp.

2019 YouthQuest golf tournament volunteers at Trump National Golf Club Aug. 5. 2019
Golf tournament volunteers

We’re also grateful to our golf tournament volunteers — Linda Ackerman, Emily Blake, Rachel Cage, Edna Davis, Nikki Gombos, Rob Hall, Val Hightower, Steve Levenson, Ingrid Louro and Tony Sanderson – along with the entire team at Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC.

Because of the contributions everyone has made to our mission this year, we’ve been able to help at-risk teens break the cycle of failure and get on course for success.

Three of this year’s students from SCYCA earned $1,000 scholarships for essays they wrote about what their 3D ThinkLink experience taught them.

“I believe that anybody and everybody can accomplish their goals in life. Why? Life is full lessons and blessings. That’s why I haven’t given up.” – Naomi Perez

“I want to show everyone at home and everyone who has ever doubted me I’m more than just the average teenager. I’m going to make something out of myself and I’m not going to go back to my old ways.” – Ka’Dejah Riley

“I can do anything … nothing is beyond my reach.” – Hunter Lusby

The Year in Photos

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3D ThinkLink Advanced Training Focuses on Job Readiness

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3D ThinkLink Advanced Training November 2019

The 3D ThinkLink students chosen to attend Advanced Training in our Northern Virginia lab gain valuable experience they can’t get in their classrooms at Youth ChalleNGe academies.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and 3D ThinkLink Advanced Training students from Freestate and Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies
Tom Meeks and the cadets

Last month’s sessions were more focused than ever before on preparing our students to compete for jobs that require 3D design and printing skills. They worked with professional-level equipment and learned about digital fabrication processes that go far beyond the simple, plastic-extrusion 3D printing they did on campus.

Cadets Hassan Lancaster and Jesse Henriquez from the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy, and Cian Moody and Christian White from Maryland Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, enjoyed four days of intensive learning in the lab with YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

We prepared for the week by studying current job postings to make sure every activity we planned was relevant to what’s happening now in the fast-growing and ever-changing world of advanced manufacturing.

3D ThinkLink students repair a Z310 3D printer during Advanced Training November 2019
Repairing a Z310 3D printer

One highlight of the week came courtesy of our 2019 Community Partner Award winner, Fairfax County Public Schools, which donated two used Z Corp 310 powder/binder 3D printers to our lab. We’ve had one of them running since summer, but the other hadn’t been in operation for years. The cadets eagerly took it apart, cleaned and serviced it and did some troubleshooting. By the end of their first day in the lab, they had brought the old 310 back to life.  

We were also pleased that YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz was able to join us one morning to show the students how a desktop CNC machine works.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining is an example of traditional subtractive manufacturing. A cutting tool spinning at high speed carves an object out of a block of material. In additive manufacturing (3D printing), a moving print head deposits material in patterns, layer by layer, to form an object without any waste.

YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz with 3D ThinkLink students from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy at Advanced Training November 2019
YouthQuest volunteer Kanean Cruz with students at Advanced Training

In watching both processes side by side, our students learned that CNC and 3D printing are really two sides of the same coin. In both cases, the tool’s movement is guided by digital instructions called G-codes. The same design files our students create for 3D printing with Moment of Inspiration CAD (Computer Aided Design) software can be used to make objects with a CNC machine. Rapid prototyping shops and other digital fabrication businesses use a combination of additive and subtractive methods, so the CAD skills our students learn are doubly valuable to those employers.

Tom and the students got to try out a new Matter and Form 3D scanner that arrived just in time for Lab Week. Scanning is an alternative to CAD for creating virtual objects to be printed.

The students also got a taste of 3D printing with ceramics, something few people in the field have tried. Thanks to our Advanced Training, they can say they’re familiar with two methods of printing ceramics – powder and liquid resin – as well as using microscopes to examine the ceramic powder and a kiln to fire the printed pieces.

After four days of hard work, the cadets had an impressive list of experiences to add their resumés.

3D Printer Operation, Maintenance and Troubleshooting
– Operated SLA resin printer
– Repaired FDM (plastic filament) printers
– Repaired and serviced Z Corp 310 and 450 powder/binder printers
– Designed parts and printed them on Z450 full-color powder/binder printer
– Handled gypsum and ceramic powders

3D ThinkLink student Christian White from Freestate ChalleNGE Academy cleans 3D-printed ceramic parts during Advanced Training November 2019
Cleaning 3D-printed ceramic parts

Post-Processing 3D Printed Parts
– Curing, support removal, sanding of SLA printed parts
– Depowdering and coating of powder/binder printed parts

Kiln Operation
– Performed ramp and hold firings of 3D-printed ceramic parts

Microscope Camera and Software
– Used focus stacks for ceramic powder particle distribution tests

CNC Machining
– Operated Carbide Nomad desktop CNC machine

Software
– Experience with Moment of Inspiration (CAD) and Cura slicing software

While all four cadets are interested in engineering, each has his own unique career path in mind. We wrapped up the week with a resumé review session, taking time to go over each student’s situation and tailor a plan for their next steps – community college, trade school, employment, military service or a combination of those.

Tom Meeks with 3D ThinkLink students from Freestate and Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies on the final day of Advanced Training November 2019
It wasn’t ALL hard work!

The cadets reviewed listings of jobs for which they’re already qualified and practiced answering job interview questions in ways that will impress hiring managers.

These young men have compelling stories to tell prospective employers about overcoming mistakes and turning their lives around.

Now, as they graduate from the ChalleNGe program and open new chapters, they will continue striving to achieve their career goals with the failure-is-not-final attitude we have instilled in them throughout their 3D ThinkLink experience.

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You can support our work by:
Making a donation to YouthQuest through our secure PayPal link
Choosing YouthQuest as your designated charity on AmazonSmile
Registering on Bidding for Good so you can take part in our online auctions, sign up for our golf tournament, and support other upcoming fundraisers
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YouthQuest Celebrates Supporters With Golf Tournament, Awards

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Players at YouthQuest golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, DC August 5, 2019

Every August, we bring together YouthQuest Foundation supporters to show our appreciation and honor some of the special people who help us change young lives.

We fielded 19 teams for this year’s golf tournament on August 5 at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, DC. At our VIP Reception on August 1, we recognized our 2019 Strategic Partner, Community Partner and Volunteer of the Year award winners.

During the reception, Piper Phillips, President and CEO of PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families, and YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks gave guests an update on how our partnership is helping prepare students on the autism spectrum for meaningful employment. They showed this video about PHILLIPS students who took part in a cross-country 3D printing project that laid the groundwork for our new vocational training program.

2019 Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams with YouthQuest Foundation Co-Founders Allen Cage and Lynda Mann at VIP Reception August 1, 2019
Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams

YouthQuest Co-Founders Lynda Mann and Allen Cage presented awards to Volunteer of the Year Chris Adams, a Technology Education teacher at Franklin Middle School in Chantilly, and to Franklin Assistant Principal Robert Gibbs, representing Fairfax County Public Schools, our Community Partner of the Year.

Chris has been sharing his expertise with us for several years and has helped connect us with other Fairfax County teachers. When he found out his school was going to get rid of a barely-used Z310 powder/binder 3D printer, he thought of us. With his help, we arranged for Fairfax County Public Schools to donate the Z310 to us. It’s the perfect addition to our 3D printing lab, giving our advanced 3D ThinkLink students valuable, hands-on experience with a professional-grade machine as part of the job training and placement project we’re launching.

University of Maryland Terrapin Works Operations Manager Nathanael Carriere was on hand to accept our 2019 Strategic Partner Award. Terrapin Works encompasses a collection of 3D design and printing resources on the College Park campus. Nathanael and his staff host Vocational Orientation events every six months for cadets in our 3D ThinkLink classes at DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. They take the cadets through the labs in Maryland’s recently opened A. James Clark Hall, showing them how engineering students use 3D printing.

Golf Entertainer Brad Denton trick shot demonstration at YouthQuest golf tournament August 5, 2019 at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, DC
Golf Entertainer Brad Denton

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Tysons, Virginia, hosted the VIP Reception and sponsored Golf Entertainer Brad Denton, who opened the tournament on Monday morning with an amazing trick shot demonstration before players headed out to spend a beautiful summer day on the Trump National Championship Course.

We were pleased to welcome DFS Construction Corporation and DCG Dominion Construction Group as first-time tournament sponsors, along with returning sponsors AOC Solutions, FEDAC, the Poole Foundation, the POH Group, Kipps DeSanto, Insperity, Gombos-Leyton, Jones Lang LaSalle, Old Dominion National Bank, CrossFit PR Star and Valley Forge Acquisition Corp.

Old Dominion National Bank team member Penny Bladich sinks a putt at YouthQuest golf tournament August 5, 2019, at Trump National Golf Club, Washington, DC
Old Dominion National Bank’s Penny Bladich sinks a putt

VIP guests at the tournament included Capt. Ken Dondero and Maj. Rudy Landon from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Washington Redskins alumni Pat Fischer, Roy Jefferson, Raleigh McKenzie, Jerry Olsen and Bubba Tyer.

The secret to the repeated success of our annual fundraising event is the outstanding work of the entire Trump National team including the catering staff, grounds crew and caddies, along with our tournament volunteers: Linda Ackerman, volunteer coordinator, Emily Blake, Rachel Cage, Nikki Gombos, Rob Hall, Steve Levenson, Ingrid Louro and previous Volunteer of the Year award winners Edna Davis, Val Hightower and Tony Sanderson.

The 15th annual Challenge at Trump National will be on Monday, August 3, 2020. It’s never too early to sign up. This form has all the details. Online registration will be available early next year.

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Unique Cross-Country Partnership Brings History Alive in 3D

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ITech Prep Phillips YouthQuest partnership

The YouthQuest Foundation has brought together an unlikely team of young 3D innovators for a first-of-its-kind coast-to-coast collaboration.

Last year, John Zingale’s 7th and 8th graders at iTech Preparatory, a project-based-learning and STEM-focused magnet school in Vancouver, Washington created an interactive virtual museum with 3D images of artifacts they scanned at the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. Now, three high school students on the autism spectrum from the PHILLIPS schools in Northern Virginia have used those scans to 3D-print full-color replicas of the artifacts and send them to the kids in Vancouver.

“When I read about Fort Vancouver Virtual Reality, I saw an opportunity to teach some of the PHILLIPS students we work with how to operate a professional-level 3D printer while, at the same time, adding a new level of learning for the iTech students,” said YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

PHILLIPS student Ladrious Eaton works with YouthQuest's powder/binder 3D printer
PHILLIPS student works with YouthQuest’s powder 3D printer

He contacted “Mr. Z” to discuss their mutual interest in using 3D visualization technology to bring history to life. The iTech students had accomplished a great deal by capturing images of the objects from the 1800s and sharing them on Sketchfab, a popular online platform for 3D content. What they lacked was a way to make realistic replicas of the artifacts.

YouthQuest not only had a powder/binder 3D printer capable of reproducing scanned objects in full color, it had experience in teaching students to complete such a project. Advanced 3D ThinkLink students from National Guard Youth ChalleNGe programs worked in the foundation’s lab last year to scan a 2,300-year-old Apulian vase and 3D-print copies that can be handled and studied without fear of damaging the original artifact.

Meeks and Zingale agreed on a plan, and a cross-country partnership was born.

Project-Based Job Skills Training

Since 2013, YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Initiative has been using 3D printing as a vehicle to teach important life skills that at-risk youth lack, such as critical thinking, problem solving, persistence and confidence. Originally designed for high school dropouts seeking a second chance at Youth ChalleNGe academies serving Maryland, South Carolina and the District of Columbia, the project expanded in recent years to include teens with neurodiversity at schools operated by the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families in Annandale and Fairfax, Virginia.

Some of the plates scanned by Mr. Z's class and printed by PHILLIPS students
Some of the plates scanned by Mr. Z’s class and printed by PHILLIPS students

Common characteristics of people on the autism spectrum — attention to detail, deep focus, visual learning, tenacity, pattern recognition, outside-the-box thinking — help them excel at 3D design and printing. The students were highly engaged throughout the project. Turning the virtual artifacts from Fort Vancouver into tangible replicas demonstrated that operating and working in a 3D printing business is a viable career pathway for those on the autism spectrum.

Job training is a priority for PHILLIPS and YouthQuest because young adults with neurodiversity face more barriers to employment after high school than those with other kinds of learning disorders. Despite having the skills and desire to work, nearly half of 25-year-olds on the autism spectrum have never been employed, according to Autism Speaks. 

PHILLIPS assigned three students from its 3D classes to the iTech project. John and Ladrious came from the Fairfax campus. Representing the Annandale campus was Henry, who completed a week of advanced training in YouthQuest’s lab in 2016 and is about to graduate from PHILLIPS.

3D ThinkLink students from the PHILLIPS Schools wrap up the 3D-printed artifact models to be shipped to the iTech Preparatory students in Washington who 3D scanned the objects from the Fort Vancouver National Histortic Site.
PHILLIPS students wrap the printed pieces to ship to Vancouver

Over the course of three days in the lab, the team mastered every step of the process: taking in the 3D image files; preparing them in the printing software; setting up and operating the powder printer; post-processing the printed objects; and packaging them for shipping to Vancouver.

Everyone took turns so each student got to do every task. Although Henry had not met John and Ladrious before, they all worked together well as they figured out strategies to accomplish their goals.

For young adults on the autism spectrum, developing communication and social skills is often more difficult than gaining technical skills. PHILLIPS Career Partners Program Director Lindsay Harris said she was amazed to see how easily the students were interacting when she visited the lab.

New Dimensions of Learning

Fort Vancouver Virtual Reality has already earned lots of attention for the iTech students and a Governor’s Award for their teacher. Zingale said adding YouthQuest and the PHILLIPS students to the mix is bringing a new dimension to the project that he “never even dreamed possible when we started.”

Zingale’s students began by creating an interactive virtual tour of Fort Vancouver in 2016, then started looking into ways of adding augmented reality to the experience. That led to experiments with various kinds of 3D scanning equipment and methods to capture images for the virtual museum.

YouthQuest has gone through the same process with scanning projects for its advanced 3D ThinkLink students. Both groups got the best results with photogrammetry, a process of taking pictures of an object from multiple angles and using software to combine the images into a 3D model. YouthQuest uses 3DF Zephyr while iTech tried several different types before deciding to go with Qlone photogrammetry software.

VIDEO: Meet the iTech Students
VIDEO: Meet the iTech Students

Making 3D prints of the scanned Fort Vancouver artifacts revealed some details that weren’t apparent from seeing them in only two dimensions on a computer screen. For example, the PHILLIPS team found that light reflected off white areas of certain plates showed up as natural-looking glare in the photos, but the 3D software interpreted the spots as objects. They showed up as large, white lumps on the printed plates.

Zingale told YouthQuest his students think it’s “extremely cool that others appreciated their work” and they want to continue improving their photogrammetry techniques with the knowledge they’re gaining from the new partnership with YouthQuest and PHILLIPS.

“From creating an interactive VR tour, to scanning artifacts and creating an online museum, to creating and designing mobile apps, to now holding color 3D printed replicas this is a journey like no other,” he wrote on Facebook. “I can’t wait to see where we go with this project this next year!”

PHILLIPS student John had a message for Mr. Z’s students in Vancouver: “If it hadn’t been for you guys, we wouldn’t have this opportunity. And for that, I am very grateful.”

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You can support our work by:
Making a donation to YouthQuest through our secure PayPal link
Choosing YouthQuest as your designated charity on AmazonSmile
Registering on Bidding for Good so you can take part in our online auctions, sign up for our golf tournament, and support other upcoming fundraisers
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YouthQuest’s Five Favorite Memories of 2018

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3D ThinkLink students from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy at University of Maryland Terrapin Works April 2018 Vocational Orientation

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We thank our supporters for making these moments possible through their contributions.
You can support our work by:
Making a donation through our secure PayPal link
Choosing us as your designated charity on AmazonSmile
Registering on Bidding for Good so you can take part in our online auctions, sign up for our golf tournament, and support other upcoming fundraisers
____________________________________________

As we wrap up an eventful year filled with accomplishments, here’s a look back at the YouthQuest Foundation’s most memorable moments.

Success for More At-Risk Teens

Sixty-five cadets from National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs completed our 3D ThinkLink training this year. We taught these at-risk youth to think differently about failure and success as they prepare to enter the job market or pursue higher education.

3D ThinkLink students from Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy receive awards December 2018
Click picture to see more photos

Our classes help students develop sought-after STEM skills through hands-on experience with professional-level CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, 3D printers and computers. In addition, the trial-and-error nature of 3D printing teaches our students about critical thinking, problem-solving, perseverance, resilience, creativity and collaboration. These “soft skills” are even more valuable to employers than the technical skills.

3D ThinkLink training takes place during the two annual class cycles at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy, South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy and the District of Columbia’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy. Instructors from the schools come to our lab in Chantilly, Virginia, twice a year to update their skills and help us constantly improve the 3D ThinkLink experience.

Nearly 300 ChalleNGe cadets have completed 3D ThinkLink training since we launched the project in 2013. We have reached many more young people through our partnerships with the PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families at schools in Fairfax and Annandale, Virginia, for students with autism and other special needs; and with Horizons Hampton Roads, serving low-income children in Portsmouth, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

This year, we rewarded 13 cadets for their outstanding performance in class by bringing them to our lab for a week of advanced training. Seven students earned scholarships for the essays they wrote about the impact the 3D ThinkLink experience had on their lives. The 2018 essay competition winners are: Caleb Pearson ($1,000) from SCYCA; Chigaru Todd ($1,000) and Jacob Foote ($500) from CGYCA; Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega ($1,000), Bradley Berry, Trevor Haney and Dante Isom ($500) from Freestate.

A Chance Encounter, a Lightbulb Moment

We put a lot of planning into Vocational Orientation to make sure our students get the most out of the events, which show them how 3D printing is used at businesses and universities. But sometimes the best parts of these field trips are unscripted. Freestate Instructor Jamarr Dennis recalled the moment during a Vocational Orientation tour of The Foundery in Baltimore that “the lightbulb went on” for Cadet Sthephanie Alvarez-Vega when she struck up a conversation with craftsman/entrepreneur Festus Jones.

Vocational Orientation and Inspiration

Like Sthephanie, South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Caleb Pearson attended Immersion Lab training and earned a scholarship in the essay contest. And like her, Caleb was unexpectedly inspired by someone he met during Vocational Orientation. Nathan Lambert, a top graduate student, helped guide the SCYCA group through the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Mechanical Engineering Department in October. Toward the end of the tour, Nathan told the cadets that he’d hated high school and barely graduated, but after serving in the military, he discovered his passion for engineering and learned to excel in college. “It made me feel really confident,” said Caleb, an aspiring engineer who once struggled in school. “If this man has made it this far in his life … and I want to be exactly where he is, I can do it.”

Stepping Up With Loudoun Youth

The YouthQuest Foundation has been the prize money sponsor for the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition every year since 2012. The contest, run by Loudoun Youth, Inc. and Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services, challenges teams of teens in Loudoun County, Virginia, to identify problems in their communities, then develop and implement solutions.

We have been so impressed by Step Up’s results that we doubled our contribution to $5,000 this year. YouthQuest Co-Founder and President Lynda Mann made the announcement at the preliminary round of competition for more than 60 teams on April 5.

This year’s winning team, Princess Packages, started a volunteer organization to lift the spirits of young girls who suffer from sadness and isolation during long hospital stays. Other top-10 team projects included a tutoring and mentoring program for elementary school students, a chatbot app to help immigrants to improve their English language skills and study for the U.S. citizenship exam, and a networking service to connect teens with employment and volunteer opportunities.

Teams for next year’s Step Up contest have already formed and we can’t wait to see what projects they create in the spring.

Recognition for Innovation

YouthQuest Operations Manager Juan Louro, President Lynda Mann and Communications Director Steve Pendlebury send Drucker Prize semifinal round submission
Operations Manager Juan Louro, President Lynda Mann and Communications Director Steve Pendlebury send Drucker Prize semifinal submission form

We are honored to have been chosen as one of the 50 semifinalists for this year’s Drucker Prize, a $100,000 award for innovation by nonprofit organizations.

Our presentation about the 3D ThinkLink Initiative was selected from among more than 500 entries nationwide for the prize, which recognizes nonprofits that best exemplify business management legend Peter Drucker’s definition of innovation: “Change that creates a new dimension of performance.”

This was our third year competing for the Drucker Prize and each time, we get a little farther. We look forward to entering the contest again in 2019.

These excerpts from our Drucker Prize presentation sum up the principles that will continue to drive our organization in the year ahead.

The YouthQuest Foundation exists to help America’s at-risk youth become successful adults by changing the way they think about their past failures and providing opportunities for them to fulfill their potential through education and life-changing experiences.

The at-risk youth we serve – minorities, kids with disabilities and those from low-income families – make up a disproportionate share of America’s dropouts. They’re on a path that leads to poverty and even prison.

The kids we serve once saw themselves as failures. We help change their perception of failure, and of themselves, by offering an innovative way to get them on course to a better life.

3D ThinkLink Teachers Meet, Learn and Share in Training

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3D ThinkLink teachers completed training in February 2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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3D ThinkLink Teachers Update Skills During Training Week

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Freestate's Jonathan Brown, Capital Guardian's Keith Hammond, YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks and Freestate's Jamarr Dennis work with a JellyBox 3D printer during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training on Sept. 27, 2017.

If there’s anything we enjoy as much as having students in our 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab, it’s having teachers there.

Jonathan Brown and Jamarr Dennis from Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy and Keith Hammond from DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy came to our headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia, the week of September 25 to learn about the newest elements of our 3D ThinkLink Initiative.

“We want to give them the best tools and motivate them to learn how to use those tools so they can be the best teachers for the at-risk students we serve,” explained YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks.

“I’m always happy when I come out here,” said Keith, who’s been a 3D ThinkLink teacher from the beginning in 2013, when we launched our project to use 3D printing as a vehicle for teaching critical thinking and problem solving skills to at-risk youth.

Capital Guardian's Keith Hammond and Freestate's Jonathan Brown and Jamarr Dennis learn about the M3D Micro 3D printer during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training on Sept. 26, 2017.
Teachers learn about the M3D Micro

He praised the individual attention Tom provided during the training sessions, which included an introduction to new equipment such as the M3D Micro printer. The Micro is more versatile than the 3D Systems Cube printers we’ve used in classrooms for years and gives teachers more control over printing options.

Tom and the teachers also reviewed the new structure of the 3D ThinkLink curriculum. Based on the results from previous class cycles, we’ve reorganized the curriculum into blocks of four to five lessons, each of which which culminates with a benchmark project that involves all the skills students should have mastered by that point.

Jamarr, who’s in his second class cycle of 3D ThinkLink teaching, thinks the new structure will help his students at Freestate stay on pace from week to week. He said the benchmark projects should show him if students have missed something important before they move ahead in the curriculum.

YouthQuest Director of Instruction, Tom Meeks. show Moment of Inspiration 3D design software to Jonathan Brown from Maryland's Freestate ChalleNGe Academy during 3D ThinkLink Teacher Training Week in September, 2017.
Tom Meeks introduces Moment of Inspiration 3D design software to Freestate’s Jonathan Brown 

Jonathan, our newest 3D ThinkLink teacher at Freestate, was hesitant to get involved in the project at first because he wasn’t sure he could devote the time and effort it takes to learn about the software and hardware. But when he spent a week in our lab as a chaperone for two Freestate Cadets who completed advanced training this summer, he was convinced.

“When I saw how quick the kids grasped it and how much fun they had with it, I said I’m absolutely coming back,” Jonathan recalled.

As soon as a teaching position opened up, he volunteered. Within weeks, Jonathan was back in our lab working closely with Tom to become a 3D ThinkLink teacher.  

“I’m here early every day because I’m looking forward to what we’re going to pick up today. And Tom has matched all of my intensity,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to be creative and seeing where my mind takes it.”

Tom will travel to the South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academy in Eastover next week to provide training for new teachers.

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3D ThinkLink Students Eager to Share What They’ve Learned

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Tom Meeks with 3D ThinkLInk immersion lab week students

Cadets from Maryland’s Freestate and DC’s Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academies prepared to serve as Youth Mentors during a week of immersion training in YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab this month.

“As far as I’m concerned, this was the most successful immersion experience we’ve done,” said YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks. “We were totally focused this time on how to use their skills to be mentors to young people in their families and neighborhoods, and how to work in the community to demonstrate what 3D design and printing is.”

The 3D ThinkLink Initiative uses instruction in 3D design and printing as a vehicle for teaching at-risk youth about critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and confidence. The Youth ChalleNGe Program, run by the National Guard, gives dropouts a second chance to get their lives back on track and earn a high school degree.

Advanced students build a JellyBox 3D printer in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab during immersion training week June 2017
Advanced students work in the 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab

For teens who have struggled in school, the experience of learning something cool like 3D printing and teaching it to others does wonders for their self-esteem.

“Now I can do things to help people who were in my shoes,” said Freestate Cadet David Kelly, 16, from Baltimore.

During daylong sessions in the lab, our advanced students became thoroughly familiar with the setup, operation and troubleshooting of the M3D Micro 3D printers they’ll be using as mentors. They also worked with new types of materials they hadn’t used in their on-campus classes, such flexible and color-changing filaments.

For the first time, the students made designs to be built in the lab’s full-color powder bed printer, so they could experience a professional level of 3D printing.

Staying motivated all week was no problem for these students. After a full day in the lab, they would take their laptop computers back to their hotel rooms and work on designs until 9:00 or 10:00 at night, then come back the next morning eager to print their creations.

‘It’s Like Therapy’

All four cadets said being involved in our program benefited them in ways that go far beyond gaining technical skills. They described 3D ThinkLink class as a respite from the regimented life at their ChalleNGe academies, where they spent 5 ½ months away from home.

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadet David Kelly holds a frame for a fidget spinner he 3D printed during immersion training week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab June 2017
David Kelly holds a frame for a fidget spinner he 3D printed

David explained that he would get frustrated in other classes sometimes, but having the opportunity to use his imagination and design whatever he liked in 3D class every week always made him feel better.

“Making stuff calmed me down,” he said. “Whenever I make new things, I generally get happy. It lightens my mood.”

The same was true for Capital Guardian Cadet LaMarcus Corley.

“It has helped me control my anger,” the 17 year old from Washington, DC, wrote in a scholarship-winning essay about his 3D ThinkLink experience. “When I come to class, my whole mood changes. I become happy because I know that I’m in a good place.”

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Adrian Vasquez uses Moment of Inspiration 3D software to create a design during immersion training week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab June 2017
Adrian Vasquez uses Moment of Inspiration 3D design software

LaMarcus also said our class brought out the creativity he used to keep “all bottled in” and taught him how to “think about stuff differently.”

“It helped me with focusing more — paying attention to detail, getting everything right,” said Freestate Cadet Stephen Brown, 16, from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. “It taught me to never give up and to focus on your goal.”

It also helped keep them out of trouble. All the cadets said they appreciated being chosen for the 3D ThinkLink program and enjoyed it so much that they wouldn’t risk being kicked out for misbehaving.

Before he enrolled at Capital Guardian, Cadet Adrian Vasquez said, he had problems in school.

“I would get good grades, but my mind would always be on something else. So I got caught up with stuff I wasn’t supposed to be around,” the 16-year-old from DC said. “But ever since I started 3D, my mind has been nowhere near that stuff.”

“It’s like therapy, a type of therapy. Working on 3D designs keeps me focused, not on the other nonsense stuff,” Adrian explained.

“And my mom is cheering me on,” he added. “She’s seen all the posts about us on Facebook and she’s never been so happy. She knows the rough times I had.”

Thinking Differently About the Future

The 3D ThinkLink experience opened these at-risk teens’ eyes to new opportunities and changed their view of what’s possible for them.

“I’ve never really been so confident about the things I’m doing,” said Adrian, who plans to become a master automotive technician.

Freestate ChalleNGe Academy Cadet Stephen Brown checks a print on an M3D Micro 3D printer during immersion training week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab June 2017
Stephen Brown checks one of his designs printing on an M3D Micro

Stephen is aiming for a career as a fashion designer and entrepreneur. With 3D printing playing an ever-increasing role in the fashion industry, he realizes the value of the hands-on experience he gained in our classes.

“It really helped me think outside the box and I can use that to my advantage in the future,” he said. “As I pursue my career, the 3D printer will really help me print out prototypes of designs.”

Learning 3D printing gave LaMarcus a new perspective about his options after graduating from Capital Guardian and he’s looking forward to being a Youth Mentor.

“I know it changed me, so I want to make a change in people’s lives,” he said.

So does Adrian, who was reminded of the importance of giving back when he discovered how 3D-printed prosthetic devices help people who’ve lost limbs.

“I had a mindset thinking that this was just for me or for my family,” he explained. “It’s not always for yourself. You can always improve someone else’s life.”

Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy Cadet LaMarcus Corley uses the lab's full-color powder printer for the first time during immersion training week in YouthQuest's 3D ThinkLink Creativity Lab June 2017
LaMarcus Corley uses the lab’s full-color powder printer for the first time

The work these students do as Youth Mentors will support YouthQuest’s goal of reducing America’s dropout rate.

David hopes the children he reaches will share his excitement about 3D printing and decide to learn more about it.

“This isn’t easy stuff. There’s a bunch of math in it, so you really have to stay in school to understand this,” he said.

David added that he’s eager to inspire younger kids “because they’re going to be the future for us.”

“I understand I’m the future now, but they’re going to be the future for me.”

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YouthQuest Celebrates Prize-Winning Problem Solvers

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2017 Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition finalists

YouthQuest’s dream is for all the young people we reach to become successful adults who give back to their communities.

That’s why Youth ChalleNGe Cadets in our 3D ThinkLink classes are required to complete a community service project. It’s why we’re training students to use their 3D printing, critical thinking and problem solving skills to serve their communities as Youth Mentors.

And it’s why we support the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition, which challenges teens to give back by solving problems in their communities.

The goal of the annual event presented by Loudoun Youth, Inc. and Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services is to encourage, support and reward teens in Loudoun County, Virginia, for making positive changes in their own lives and the lives of others. YouthQuest has been the primary prize money sponsor of the contest since 2012.

Judges listen to a team's presentation at the 2017 Step Up Loudoun youth Competition
Judges listen to a team’s presentation at the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition

Eighty teams submitted ideas last fall and 40 gave presentations during preliminary judging on March 27 at Trailside Middle School in Ashburn. Ten were chosen for the finals, held on April 5 at The Club at One Loudoun. More than two dozen local business and community leaders, including YouthQuest Director of Instruction Tom Meeks, volunteered as judges.

The students choose the issues and develop the projects to address them, so Step Up gives adults a fresh view of the world through the eyes of the next generation of leaders. This year, the environment, physical and mental health, education, bullying and traffic were among the students’ concerns.

The topics often are a reflection of current events. After a year filled with news about hacking and other cyber-shenanigans, Kriti Ganotra from Broad Run High School came up with the idea for Call of Security. She earned the $1,000 top prize in the Step Up contest by developing a free device that detects computer network vulnerabilities.

Loudoun County is home to the East Coast’s version of Silicon Valley. Up to 70 percent of the world’s Internet traffic moves through data centers in the Dulles Tech Corridor, so a breakdown in Loudoun’s network can have widespread impact, Kriti explained in her presentation to the judges.

Kriti Ganotra presents her winning project, Call of Security, at the 2017 Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition
Kriti Ganotra presents her winning project, Call of Security, at the Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition finals

Kriti went online to research vulnerability scanning systems and find open-source code, which she modified to create a program that checks for weaknesses in all devices connected to a router by wifi, even TVs and appliances. Then she tested her scanner against Nessus, a leading professional service.

“Nessus is a vulnerability scanner used by the DoD (Department of Defense) costing about $50,000 a year and I found out my machine actually performs better than Nessus,” Kriti said in an interview with Loudoun Youth.

“I want to bring it to Loudoun County, using high schoolers to create a community where everyone is educated about cyber-bullying, cyber-security, cyber-threats and technology,” she added. “I want to bring this to every single house and eventually patent this into something that we can develop all around the nation.”

This year’s $750 second-place project was inspired a different sort of technological threat — the potentially deadly mix of smart phones and Northern Virginia’s notorious traffic congestion. The Put It Down team of Freya Panchamia, Saumya Sharma, Paras Sarjapur and Iyush Hoysal from Eagle Ridge, Mercer and Stone Middle Schools targeted the dangers of distracted driving by encouraging people to sign a pledge not to text while driving. They’ve reached more than 200 drivers so far and plan to continue the project.

The Put It Down team was excited to be picked as one of 10 finalists in the 2017 Step Up Loudoun Youth Competition
The Put It Down team was excited to be picked as one of 10 finalists

“We know that we’re making a significant impact on Loudoun County because we’ve reached out to many people and we’ve gotten many pledges,” said Freya.

The Clean Kits team of Palak Shah and Areej Khan from John Champe High School made it to the top ten last year and went home with this $500 third-place prize this time. They have provided personal hygiene and sanitary products for homeless women in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties and Washington, DC, since last year.

“The reason we chose to tackle feminine hygiene is because people are afraid to talk about it. People are afraid to donate these products because they feel uncomfortable buying them,” Palak said. “The thing is, these are simple products that all women need.”

The Every Voice Heard project won the $150 fourth-place prize. Isabelle Nikkho and Tammy Niyomtes from Harper Park Middle School, responding to a recent rash of teen suicides in Loudoun, created website to raise awareness about depression and suicide and provide resources. They also raised funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The remaining six finalists all won $100 prizes for their projects.

Be Me for a Day – Anna Nguyen from Broad Run High School created “day in the life” videos to help students and adults choose a profession.

Clean Up Beaverdam Creek Reservoir – Lacey Tanner from Rock Ridge High School organized cleanup events and raised community awareness about protecting the reservoir.

Environment Rescuers – Shiril Yedhara, Rajul Vadera, Mira Warries, Keerthi Dasoju from Rock Ridge High School raised awareness among local students of the global water crisis.

Loudoun Purity – Priyanshi Jeevagan and Ananya Gahlot from East Ridge and Stone Hill Middle Schools organized a 3K walk to raise money for hygiene kits for people at the Leesburg Homeless Shelter.

Personal Teach – Ari Dixit from Stone Hill Middle School created a program with a voice interface fpr the Internet to help students improve their scores on standardized tests.

UnSalted – Taylor Jackson from Riverside High School developed an app to help students reduce stress.

Learn more about Step Up Loudoun Youth here.

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3D ThinkLink Essay Contest Winners Earn Scholarships

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3D ThinkLink essay contest scholarship winners Brock Jasmann and Aunya’ Jones from Freestate ChalleNGe Academy

YouthQuest’s 3D ThinkLink class at Maryland’s Freestate ChalleNGe Academy did more than teach Brock Jasmann and Aunya’ Jones about 3D design and printing.

“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,” Aunya’, 17, wrote in her award-winning essay. “I now see the bigger picture to my life’s problems and I’m not afraid to face them.”

“I can make anything if I put my mind to it,” wrote Brock, 17, who described his 3D ThinkLink experience as “awe-inspiring.”

Both Cadets were awarded $500 scholarships for their essays during a ceremony at Freestate on December 9.

Aunya Jones and Brock Jasmann try blacksmithing during Vocational Orientation at The Foundery in Baltimore
Aunya’ and Brock try blacksmithing during a Vocational Orientation tour of  The Foundery in Baltimore

Our program “transformed my way of thinking,” said Aunya’, who plans to join the Navy and become a nurse.

“Before 3D printing I did not believe in myself, and I had accepted the opinion that I was not good enough,” she explained.

Like most of the at-risk youth we serve, Aunya doubted herself when she started our class this fall.

“Everything seemed so foreign to me. I could barely work the program on the computer,” she recalled.

When she printed her first 3D design and it came out nothing like she had intended, she admitted feeling frustrated and wanting to give up. Instead, she made up her mind to work harder so she could “make things that I could be proud to show off.”

Aunya’ started paying close attention to every instruction, asking questions and testing every new design skill she learned.

“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,” she wrote. “Joining 3D printing has taught me to never give up.”

Brock’s essay highlighted the effect his class’s community service project had on his self-esteem.

The Freestate Cadets went to a library to demonstrate designing and 3d printing small, personalized objects such as ornaments and keychain tags. 

“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,” wrote Brock.

“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,” added Brock, who wants to become a Marine.

Brock and Aunya’s essays were chosen from among 13 submitted by students from Freestate, DC’s Capital Guardian and South Carolina Youth ChalleNGe Academies. The semi-annual scholarship competition is judged by bestselling author John Gilstrap, whose novels include the Jonathan Grave thriller series.

CLICK HERE to read the complete essays

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