Sunset Middle students use passion for 3D printing to help during COVID

When Krista Chiaravalle was first asked to leave her biology teacher position at Niwot High to join Sunset Middle School's staff as the STEM & Learning Coach, she was a little nervous but excited. "I didn't know a lot about coding [or computer science], but thought that it was a great opportunity and that we [she and the students] could learn together," Chiaravalle said. She explained that her STEM classes are hands-on, focusing on the building and designing; but her computer classes largely focused on coding with javascript and had a unit on 3D printing.

"What's awesome about STEM and computer science, they're divergent, there's no one right answer," she said. "It can be a little scary, but when they [students] realize, 'Oh, I might be right and you might be right,' that's really exciting. I'm all about getting them to use the technology and giving latitude."

In fact, it is this latitude that some students like most about the class. "Her whole thing is passion and gives you projects accordingly," said seventh-grade student Luke Huddle. His friend and classmate Jackson Hudgins, another seventh-grade student, agreed, "What we do is really fun and the teachers are really nice."

Huddle and Hudgins first took Chiaravalle's beginning computer science class in fall 2019, but Huddle liked it so much, he signed up for it again for the spring semester. Since he already had a foundation in basic computer science skills, he and Chiaravalle arranged for his second semester in the class to focus on "passion projects." Then, everything changed with COVID-19 and the district's decision to move to remote earning.

"When we went online, he [Huddle] reached out to me asking, 'Do you want me to do what's on Schoology [the online platform SVVSD uses for students and teachers to connect] or do you want me to do my passion projects?'" Chiaravalle recalled.

She encouraged him to work on his projects and when she heard about his plan to make face mask straps for local doctors and nurses, she encouraged him to document the process for community service.

"We gave them to her [a nurse who is friends with Huddle's mother] and originally, we printed them for her specific people," explained Huddle. "Then other nurses saw them and wanted them. We're going to continue to give them to Boulder Community Hospital and then to Longmont."

Hudgins added, "I sent some to Boston, to the hospital my uncle works at."

They explained that the idea of mask straps has been around for a while, and when they decided to start producing their 3D printed ones, they found a variety of pre-existing models online.

"I kind of based it off of how they flex, how big they are and how easy to print they are," Huddle said. He explained that since 3D printing is a slow process, finding a model that would both work in terms of efficiency but also production was important.

They have since produced many of these mask straps on their own and taken them to hospitals. However, the process is not without difficulties. Both students explained that the machines can be temperamental, which has led to some holdups in production.

"If you're going to get one," said Hudgins, "You should do your research."

Both students expressed curiosity to know how much their straps are actually helping the nurses and doctors, but said that as long as there's a need, they will continue to print and donate them.

"We have a way to help that not everyone does," Hudgins said.

Huddle was quick to add, "And we can do it really easily."

These two students were given the room to grow and explore in their education. Because of this, they were able to help the community and seem excited to continue doing just that. In the future, Hudgins hopes to work as an engineer of some kind. Huddle said he wasn't sure what specifically he'd like to do, but it seems like he'd like to further explore the computer science and robotics fields.

"Luke and Jackson stick out right now because they really did delve into a passion area," said Chiaravalle. "They found a way to help their community in a way that didn't exist here a week before. Other students will see that and be inspired to do the same."