Calling all 1st – 6th Grade Girls
A group of students from University of Illinois are touring the country this summer with MakerGirl Mobile with a mission to encourage young girls to become leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields through 3D printing. Roane State Community College’s Cumberland Business Incubator will be hosting the group on July 15th. Registration is limited to 20 girls from 1st through 6th grade.
By providing a hands-on experience for girls to imagine, design and 3D print a creation of their own, Maker Girl stops across the country are encouraging girls to become excited about their future and all that they can accomplish as women leaders in STEM. Each girl goes home with proof that they can successfully bring their ideas to life and become the next generation of Change-makers.
The Brainstorming Process: At the beginning of each session, the girls are introduced to a problem or an area that 3D printing has been impacting. A recent example was 3D printed prosthetics, and girls were asked to design an object that could help someone. They were given time to brainstorm their ideas and design them on paper.
The Design Process: The girls then begin to design their object on a computer using simple CAD modelling software. The software allows girls to easily combine shapes and text to create their object. When the design is complete it is transferred to 3D printing software and adjusted for size and final printing.
The Printing Process: Printing generally takes less than 20 minutes and girls can see their creation come to life layer by layer. For girls who have never seen a 3D printer in action, they are able to fully explain how a 3D printer works and are eager to teach their parents when they come to pick them up. After printing their objects, the girls showcase their design to the group and their parents and explain what their creation will be used for.
MakerGirl spots ($25 each) are available by contacting Bonnie at the CBI, 931-456-4910 with a credit card, or stopping by the CBI at 2569 Cook Road with payment before July 8th. More information on MakerGirl is available at www.makergirl.us.
