Milton High School students are continuing to gain exposure in the field of technology with the school’s Milton Institute of Technology curriculum. In addition to getting exposure in such design software programs, like Blender, Adobe Indesign, or Photoshop, students are seeing the results of their work thanks to newly-added 3D printer.
“This is an introduction,” said Kimberly Smith, an institute of technology instructor at MHS. “Then after they leave Milton High School they have that basic knowledge…where ever they go with it, they can.”
Not only will learning digital design and the 3D printer benefit students looking into possible career in digital design, Smith said the usage of 3D printing is found in other several career fields.
“From what I understand, in the medical field and the industrial field, they got a lot of 3D printing they are doing,” Smith said.
One example Smith presented was using the 3D printer to design a knee replacement. Not only can 3D printing usage be found in the medical field, it is also being used in the aerospace industry, even NASA is using 3D printing, according to 3Dprint.com.
Both William Warren, 14, and Stephen Marrero, 18, are using the 3D modeling and animation software Blender to complete a challenge proposed to them by principal Michael Thorpe. Thorpe challenged the two students to design a device, to help hold an electronic tablet device, which would assist in grading test sheets.
“He would be able to rest his Ipad…the camera would then be able to look at the sheets as they are ran through (the designed device),” Marrero said.
Marrero, a senior, said their object is in the final stages of completion and will soon be presented before Thorpe.
Marrero, who already has experience in working in digital design, is serving as a mentor to Warren, who is currently a freshmen.
“I have sort of taken him under my wing…so I can pass the torch onto him,” Marrero said.
Moore said he is interested in pursuing a career in computer programming. Marrero said he is interested in following a career in digital design.
“After graduation, I hopefully want to get into more digital design stuff like this,” he said.
While Stephanie Long, 17, is well versed in using a 3D printer, the senior is focusing on continuing to work with digital design.
“I like the 3D printing but I am probably going to go into (Adobe) Photoshop,” Long said. “I like designing things for people.”
While working with the program, Long said she has previously designed artwork for the school’s drama program, she has even submitted digital design artwork for local art shows. As a career field, Long is interested in pursuing a career in digital design, one option could be teaching digital design to others, she said.
“When I first started high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to be,” she said.
It wasn’t until she started the digital design curriculum when she found a potential interest.
“Well if I am good at it, might as well just do it,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton students gain exposure in digital design with 3D printing