3D Printing Workshops: The Summer STEM Series
Over the summer, I designed and led the "Summer STEM Series", a monthly workshop initiative at my local Boys & Girls Club aimed at showing young students the creative side of engineering. During the workshops, students explored 3D printing, physics, and design challenges through friendly team competitions.
To bring hands-on engineering to students from second grade through high school, I introduced live Bambu Lab 3D printers into a series of interactive challenges. Activities like "Balloon Car Races" connected print infill to Newton's First Law, "Are You Faster Than a 3D Printer?" taught teamwork and scaling through marble runs, and "The Science Behind the Fidget" broke down how their favorite toys are built layer-by-layer.
Instead of passive lectures, I wanted the kids to experience the excitement of 3D printing firsthand through building, experimenting, and friendly competition - including high-stakes races against the 3D printers themselves!
We raced balloon-powered 3D-printed cars to test weight and infill, and built custom marble runs while racing the clock against a live print job on my Bambu Lab A1 Mini.
We explored everything from how bioplastics like PLA are made, slicing and scaling models, and calculating the literal pennies it costs to make the 3D printed gadgets they see for sale at markets.
By the end of each workshop, every student took home a working project they built from scratch, from custom race cars to mechanical fidget clickers. I also donated a full marble run set to the classroom, ensuring the spirit of play and discovery continues long after the series wrapped up.
For me, the best part of this experience was watching that instant shift in how the kids viewed both 3D printing and engineering. As a senior finishing my engineering degree, seeing them as captivated as I used to be felt like a genuine full-circle moment. I didn't have to push them to ask questions, as their curiosity was completely organic, driven by the energy in the room and the magic of having a live 3D printer running right in front of them.
The second the students realized the limitless possibilities of the 3D printers, the entire room lit up with their own ideas to design, scale, and print their own fun gadgets. Suddenly, they were firing off non-stop questions about printer speeds, how much different slicer settings can change a model, and how to get started 3D printing and designing their own toys. I could barely keep up with all of their questions!
These hands-on challenges turned complex ideas like designing, slicing, and material chemistry into an absolute blast, stripping away the intimidation factor of engineering being "too hard" or taking years to master.
Giving back to my community in this way has brought incredible energy to everyone involved. Being invited back by the staff for future workshops proved that when you make engineering fun and accessible, you spark a curiosity that stays with these kids long after the printers stop running.
