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Sara Rolfs and Renee Monson with Monson's 3D printer.
Elementary students in Wenatchee are discovering 3D technology, thanks to a couple of innovative parents. Renee Monson and Sara Rolfs are volunteers who teach STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities.
Renee’s son, Sam Monson, has been instrumental in creating Wenatchee’s Maker Movement. Sam is interested in the creative technologies that go into making things, and he introduced his mom to 3D printer technology. 3D printers create three-dimensional, solid objects from a digital file. When a 3D digital image is sent to the printer, a filament is heated and compressed. Successive layers of material are laid down until the object is created. The process is slow. A chess piece, for example, can take 2 to 3 hours to produce.
Renee brought up the idea of buying a printer for schools to Sara Rolfs. “Sara and I were problem solving on how to get a 3D printer,” says Renee. “We were both eager to get it into action.”
After searching for grant funding, Renee finally decided to purchase the printer herself. A self-described non-tech person, Renee says learning about 3D printing and sharing that knowledge with kids has been challenging.
“I think the biggest thing for Sara and I is, this is totally out of our comfort zone,” she says. “Sam is helping me to learn.”
Soon after getting the 3D printer, Sam created three architectural columns for an ancient architecture project. He also created chess pieces to make a custom chess set. The filament used in Monson’s 3D printer is made of cornstarch, instead of plastic or metal.
For school use, Ray Birks, Instructional Technology Facilitator for Wenatchee School District, found a free 3D design application called 123D. Now students are creating unique 3D designs using the app on iPads.
Renee and Sara have been teaching 3D technology with students at Newbery and Washington elementary schools. They also spent a day at the museum sharing the technology with students from other schools, including private schools. They want students, staff, and parents to see and understand the technology.
“The world is changing, and 3D printers are used in endless ways,” says Renee. She predicts that by the time these elementary students enter the workforce, printing 3D objects will take minutes instead of hours. “Designing and creating 3D is becoming a profession within itself,” she says.
Thanks to Renee Monson and Sara Rolfs, who are helping to prepare all of us with the knowledge and skills for life in the 21st Century.