06/02/2026
Western Peaks teacher Huda Clemens sent us an update about her students' first experience with the 3-D printer that was funded through a DEF mini-grant. Here's what she wrote:
"Thank you again for awarding me the 2025 DEF Mini-Grant. I truly appreciate the opportunity to bring 3-D printing experiences into my classroom.
Unfortunately, there were delays in receiving the printer, and I did not receive it until March. Because of the limited time remaining in the school year, I only had the month of April to implement the project with students. Despite the shortened timeline, students were still able to learn the basic 3-D printing skills and successfully create their own personalized keychains.
This project became a great start-up experience for students to begin learning the possibilities of 3-D printing. Students demonstrated creativity, problem-solving, and perseverance through trial and error while designing their projects. One of the most exciting moments for them was seeing their own ideas come to life once the designs were printed.
Although we only had a short amount of time this year, this project has laid the foundation for future learning opportunities. Next year, students will be able to take their skills to the next level by using 3-D printing to create solutions for different problems, think more critically about design, and continue developing innovation and engineering skills.
I will also be including pictures of students and their designs to share the impact of this experience.
Thank you again for supporting innovative learning opportunities for our students and making projects like this possible."
