Kay’lani Jones, a five-year-old student at Moss-Nuckols Elementary School (MNES) in Louisa County, now has a new 3D printed wheelchair thanks to staff at both the middle and high school.

3D printing is the process of making three-dimensional objects from a digital file. Materials — like plastics or metals — are deposited layer-by-layer based on information in the digital file. The printer builds the object from the bottom up by slicing a 3D model into thin, horizontal cross-sections.

Both the middle and high school each have four 3D printers, and all eight were utilized in the process of creating the wheelchair, a process that took over 450 hours.

Kenneth Bouwens, Director of Career and Technical Education/Innovation with Louisa County Public Schools (LCPS), was scrolling through Tik-Tok one day and a 3D printed wheelchair project popped up on his feed. Bouwens, a father of a child with cerebral palsy, stated that he remembers when she first got her wheelchair and how it was a blessing to have mobility that she didn’t have before, but also a challenge as not all environments are wheelchair accessible.

Inspired by the video, Bouwens emailed the librarians at both the middle and high school who he considered “tech-gurus” in all things 3D printing. Bouwens stated there was a “divide and conquer” mentality as they figured out who was going to be responsible for which part and provide oversight for the different printers.

“The colors were the hardest things to figure out,” Bouwens said with a laugh. “It took a lot of organization and teamwork…we were strategic about every print.”

While there was over 450 hours of print time, it only took a week for the project to be completed. Other than the bolts and caster wheels, the entire wheelchair is 3D printed, including the straps and buckles among the main components.

“That’s because of the dedication of our team,” Bouwens said.

On the day of the unveiling of the wheelchair, LCPS staff gathered at MNES alongside Jones’ family. Shannon Hamm, her grandmother, was there to see Jones sit in her new wheelchair for the first time.

“I think this will give her more independence as far as play goes with her sibling as she will be at eye-level with him,” Hamm said. “It’s a blessing for her and it’s very well-appreciated.”

Marissa White, a special education teacher with the early childhood special education program at MNES, works with Jones everyday in the classroom.

“It’s good in the classroom for Kay’lani to have options for her to sit in; some wheelchairs are easier to push based on where we are going in the school,” White said. “It’s a really cool project with a special story behind it.”

Cole Detamore, a recent graduate of Louisa County High School, helped put together all of the parts after the 3D printing. Detamore was a library aide for the first semester of the year, and then became an aide for the Impact studio, a 21st-century learning space located in the high school library.

“I find joy in building and putting stuff together,” Detamore said. “It’s amazing