12/31/14
I was trying to remember when I first got the wild idea that my classroom needed a 3D printer and I think it all started at FETC 2014. Usually this is a time when I am completely overwhelmed with new tech and a million ideas of how I am going to incorporate all these new things into my classroom. My friend, fellow teacher and Discovery Education DEN STAR, Tracie Belt told me about all of the great things her librarians were doing at their school, Shorecrest Prep in St. Pete Florida. Check them out at: http://www.shorecrest.org/Page/Academics/Carleen-Vinal-Haskell-Library
I knew that I needed to find a way to get a 3D printer for my classroom. With all of the budget cuts our district was facing, I knew I would have to find my own funding. I wrote my first grant, 3D printing – Science, not Science Fiction and was awarded $500 through the Manatee Education Foundation Cash for Classroom Grants http://mefinfo.org/educators_schools/
Although $500 is a great start, I knew I would need more money and more information about how 3D printing would have a positive impact on my students’ learning.
Then out of the blue, my college roommate, Amanda Keniston of 3/Thirds http://think3thirds.com/ contacted me on Facebook on September 19, 2014.
Amanda told me about TJ McCue and his 3DRV project and that TJ was going to be touring in Florida in the next few days. I checked out TJ’s blog and posted on the 3DRV Facebook page that they needed to swing by my school. http://3drv.com
Well, by some miracle, TJ McCue, his wife Susan and son Joshua took a detour in their 3DRV and headed to Electa A. Lee Magnet Middle School in Bradenton.
Over 350 students filled the cafetorium and were completely enthralled for over an hour as TJ and his family told us about their 3D journey. From that point on, we were hooked…