Hewlett Elementary School create 3D toys for the holiday season

Giving during the holiday season is a feeling like no other. But when you’re behind the scenes in making a gift, giving brings out a new meaning for the season.

Kristina Gallagher’s fifth grade STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) class has reached its goal of producing 100 toys using 3D printing technology that will be donated to Toys For Tots. The STEM class is unique as it is the only one offers 3D printing at Hewlett Elementary School.

“This takes it to another level because they spent time and energy, and they are donating something they made,” said Samantha Nasso, a Hewlett-Woodmere School District spokeswoman. 

Gallagher learned about the campaign, IC3D 3D Printed Toys For Tots, on Twitter. The campaign consists of calling on members of the 3D printing community to create 3D printed toys for the holiday season. IC3D printers teamed with Toys For Tots in 2018 for the not-for-profit charity to receive it’s first ever 3D printed toys.

The Toys for Tots charity, founded in 1947, is dedicated to donating new unwrapped toys for the less fortunate during the holiday season. Gallagher called on her students to help and inspire them in what the 3D printer can be used to assist those who may have less than they do. 

“My goal is to teach them the technology, the skill, and the purpose that can come with,” she said. 

Gallagher has taught in the school district since 2004 and has been a STEM teacher since 2017. She aimed to inspire her students that 3D printing can go farther than in an educational setting with her participation in the campaign.

Fifth-grader Zachary Liechtung described the class as very fun and the impact it has left him after the process of printing toys. “We learn how to use different technology and how technology can change people’s lives,” he said when asked what he has learned.

Gallagher’s goal set was to print 100 toys that represent each fifth grade student she teaches. “It took several weeks, but we reached our goal,” she noted in a school district news release.

Toys ranged from toy cars, dinosaurs, snakes and bugs and will be donated to the campaign, which collected more than 69,000 3D toys last year. Each toy takes about an hour to make.

“We hope that the kids in need like the toys because we worked hard on them, thanks to Ms. Gallagher,” fifth-grader Diego Ratzlaff said.   

Students in the class are now building a 3D printed community by working in three groups. Roles include a lead designer, lead mathematician, and project manager. An expected 30 buildings will be made from town halls, hotels, businesses, parking lots, and other surrounding features such as trees. Math will be involved in creating the community as well as finding the volume for the shapes.