The room buzzed with excitement as the 2nd graders at Washington Elementary waited to see what the Mason Middle School students brought for them. 

A few weeks earlier, the 2nd graders used their imagination to design and draw an animal. From there, they each paired up with a Mason student who 3D printed their animal design, all as a part of their Exploring Tech class with Mason teacher Ian Chow-Miller. 

Finally, the middle school students reunited in the Washington Elementary library to present the designers with the finished product. 

The Mason Makers noted how fun it was to watch the elementary students smile and show off their creation to their friends. They were proud of their work, having used tools like Tinkercad software to create the figures and Dremel Slicer software which makes the design into G-code for the 3D printers.   

“It’s all about building community, and it is so amazing to see every aspect of Mr. Chow-Miller’s vision come to life," said Mason Teacher Librarian Erin Bethel. "It’s powerful to witness the library be a 3rd space where they can gather to use their imaginations, practice a growth mindset, and use science and art to develop the roles of being designers, makers, and collaborators. It’s just magic!” 

See photos from the event below.