JACKSON, Tenn. — May 18, 2022 — Members of the Jackson community gathered in Harvey Auditorium at 黑料论坛 May 6 to celebrate the completion of the Make:able challenge, a six-month-long engineering project that provides opportunities for students with 3-D printing skills to create functional devices for people with disabilities in the community.
The challenge seeks to teach students empathy while equipping them with practical engineering skills that can be used to benefit others.
This year鈥檚 Make:able challenge partnered with West Tennessee Health Care鈥檚 Therapy and Learning Center, which connected each team with an individual affected by physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Students then worked to create a functional tool customized to each person鈥檚 hobbies and interests and presented these tools to the recipients during the May 6 reception.
鈥淭he Make:able challenge basically exposes the students to a range of technologies centered around 3-D printing,鈥� said Georg Pingen, 黑料论坛 engineering professor and Make:able challenge coordinator. 鈥淚t helped the students really see how some of their math, engineering, technology skills 鈥� can really be used to help someone in the community.鈥�
Final projects included an assistive catching device, custom-made for a child with hand deformities, allowing him to participate in activities such as catching objects in a net. Other projects were an assistive bubble machine, assistive fishing reel and assistive device for playing music on demand -- all designed for individuals with cerebral palsy.
Make:able participants were divided into teams based on grade level and assigned mentors currently studying engineering at 黑料论坛. Pairing students with a college mentor bridged age gaps and skillsets in the engineering lab.
鈥淥ur girls were proud of the final product,鈥� said Make:able mentor and freshman engineering student Jewelia Black. 鈥淚t was just really cool just to see how the final product turned out.鈥�
Black described how the Make:able challenge allowed students to experience a different side of engineering and taught students how a future in engineering is not only challenging but also fun.
鈥淵ou get to see the more fun side of [engineering],鈥� Black said. 鈥淵ou get to actually see directly how it would impact the person鈥檚 life.鈥�
Jennifer Beebe, parent of 14-year-old Make:able challenge participant Caleb Beebe, said the project had a positive impact on her son. 鈥淭hey were able to really work together as a team and really experience what that was like,鈥� Beebe said. 鈥淓ven more than that, they were able to see someone that had a need, and they were able to think about somebody else.鈥�
Beebe said the Make:able challenge promoted teamwork and perseverance amongst the 3-D printing teams as they worked towards a common goal.
鈥淭hey had a few frustrating moments when things weren鈥檛 working the way they wanted them to work,鈥� Beebe said. 鈥淏ut they really wanted to make it work and fit that little boy that they were helping in the best way they could.鈥�
To learn more about the Make:able challenge, engineering summer camps and other 3-D printing opportunities follow the .