3D-Printed Prosthetic Limbs by Students for Students (Special Ed. NYC)
My students need a LulzBot Mini Desktop 3D Printer and LulzBot PolyLite PLA Polymaker Filament (plastic) to help children in need, by printing prosthetic limbs.
Within the NYC Public school system is District 75. District 75 houses the highest needs special needs students and oftentimes, these students also fall into the highest needs economically disadvantaged category. Over 90% of my students fall into this category. We are a 12-month program, where students attend year-round to receive services.
My students are part of the largest school district in the country (the NYC DOE) and fall into the highest needs category.
For years, I have poured my own money into my classroom, but it is not enough! I have reached out to local community members and collected used and refurbished computers, but they do not meet the requirements to run modern software.
I teach grades K-8 and a total of 9 classes, a daily lunch club and a weekly positive behavior intervention club as a reward for students. All students would have access to these resources!
That is why today, I am reaching out for global support to help our highest needs students get an equal chance to succeed! We truly need your assistance to level the playing field. Many students come from homes that do not have internet access or technology, further increasing the achievement gap.
My Project
3 years ago, I had a freak accident that resulted in the loss of motion in my hands due to a chemical burn. Fortunately, after over a year of occupational and physical therapy, I regained full motion in my hands. For months I made no progress until an occupational therapist created a specialized brace for me free-of-charge. From that moment on, I began to see significant progress. I would like to pay it forward and put my students at the helm of this project!
Since that traumatic experience, I began researching 3D-printed prosthetic limbs.
Enablingthefuture.org has a build-a-hand team that collaborates to build prosthetic limbs for children in need using 3D printing. All resources necessary to 3D-print a hand or arm and make a difference in the lives of children are available completely free on their website. Their idea is to get people like my students and I involved, and reach out to those in the community who could benefit from a 3D printed prosthetic limb.
I want to teach my students about 3D printing starting with basic toys and objects. I will teach them how to use software to design their own unique creations. Then, when we have established a level of proficiency, we will begin building replicas of prosthetic limbs featured on the Enablingthefuture.org website. Once we successfully create the builds, we will reach out to our district and see how we can help. My students need LulzBot PolyLite PLA Polymaker Filament and a LulzBot Mini Desktop 3D Printer because it is the least expensive 3D printer recommended by the Build-a-Hand team that is capable of printing prosthetic limbs. Quality and precision are essential for a project like this!
District 75 serves the highest needs special education students in the city and is one of the highest needs districts in the country. My goal is to have our students printing prosthetic limbs for students within their own district. I want to empower my students and give them an opportunity that will change their lives, by changing the life of someone their own age!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Kamer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
