This year my team and I have been invited to participate in 4 different Career Days throughout Miami Dade County. So far we've done two and the response has been wonderful. This is the second year in a row we've done this but each year each different batch of students always surprise us not just with their acceptance and understanding of what a 3D printer is but what you can do with it. I personally like posing the question: if you can use 3D printing to help people, what would you make? Here are some responses we got from several different 3rd graders from multiple classes:
1) Tools for astronauts
2) Solar panels
3) Prosthetic legs, arms and fingers
4) Glasses / Eyewear
5) Canes
6) Toys for kids in Africa
7) Toys focused on children on the autism spectrum
8) Casts and splints
9) Assistive devices for animals (one kid really liked turtles)
10) Housing
I'm particularly happy to see these kinds of answers because they are genuine. Sometimes adults tend to think the worst in kids and rightly so if all kids are told that they will be the worst. But if given an opportunity you can see their mind and their hearts flow when they see real-world good being done by others. We share our stories and our hopes instead of telling them "this is what you should be when you grow up." I personally wouldn't want someone to grow up exactly like me. I'd like to see them do better.
-Chris "The Mad Scientist" Scull
