Most 13-year-olds walk into a school technology lab thinking about their next assignment or what they can build for fun. But when Andy Barrett, an eighth-grader at Granville Middle School in Ohio, looked at his school’s 3D printer, he saw an opportunity to create something that could make a difference.
Using basic design software and colourful plastic filament, Andy turned a classroom 3D printer into the foundation of a small business. He designed, printed and sold around 150 custom fidget toys to students, teachers and neighbours. Instead of spending the earnings on himself, he donated the profits to epilepsy awareness and research.
