Students at Martha and Josh Morriss Mathematics & Engineering Elementary are using 3D printers to build prosthetic limbs for people in need around the world, thanks to a project led by Robotics and Technology Teacher Nicole Ayers.
Funded through a Tiger Grant from the Texarkana ISD Education Foundation, Ayers’ classroom received two 3D printers, a 3D scanner, and a desktop computer. Her program has joined “Enabling the Future,” a global volunteer network that uses 3D printing technology to create and donate prosthetic hands and arms.
An additional $2,500 from the Sparklight grant will help cover materials, shipping, and boost production efficiency. Ayers and her students recently connected with the Uganda Enable Coalition through the e-NABLE forum, expanding the project's international reach.
Fourth and fifth-grade STEM teams completed their first prosthetic device, which is now serving as a hands-on training model for third-grade students. The initiative is supported by third-grade teachers Tara Droske, Taylor Peavey, and Mindy Spigner, and will be integrated into the school’s biomedical and manufacturing engineering curriculum. A total of 16 prosthetic limbs are expected to be printed and assembled as part of the program.
Texarkana ISD students are gaining real-world STEM experience while contributing to a global cause.
