A group of young people has started a wonderful adventure in the busy hallways of Marston Middle School.
They are combining their compassion and ingenuity to create life-changing solutions for both humans and animals with impairments.
This remarkable tale takes place in Clairemont, where the department of Educational Technology of the San Diego County Office of Education has started a pilot program designed to foster creative learning environments in all of the county's schools.
Empathy Through Engineering (Photo : Gabriella Clare Marino/Unsplash)
During a three-week design competition, the program involved eighteen students who were tasked with designing accessibility items for animals at the Living Coast Discovery Center and San Diego Humane Society.
They also wanted to help Diego, a blind pupil in the area.
Inspired by their creativity and dedication, the students created a variety of products, such as a video game controller with braille writing, a splint for dogs with injuries, and an acorn filled with seeds for birds with broken beaks.
From Concept to Creation
Their labors culminated in a number of prototypes that were made a reality by 3D printing.
The material results included braille-covered game controller cases, a bell-equipped football, and a tactile high school map for Diego.
The kids made puzzle feeders, a splint for small animals, a ladder for a bird with a damaged wing, and hiding boxes for owls for the feathered and hairy occupants of the wildlife centers.
However, the endeavor was more than just making things; for the students, it was a life-changing event.
They carefully measured the right dimensions for their designs after delving into the lives of the animals they were assisting to understand their unique demands and lifestyles.
As a result, in addition to a variety of useful tools, habitats and enrichment items for mental stimulation were created specifically to meet the needs of lizards and snakes.
This program is evidence of the effectiveness of education when it addresses practical issues.
It shows how technology may be used to create inventions that have a big impact on people's lives when it is applied with empathy and intelligence.
Marston Middle School students have created a precedent by demonstrating that the engineers and problem solvers of the future are now here, impacting the world right now.
What other reptiles could benefit from similar enrichment tools?
Reptiles, often perceived as low-maintenance pets, require environmental complexity and enrichment to thrive in captivity.
Enrichment tools like the "Temple of Glycon" can significantly enhance their quality of life by encouraging natural behaviorsTortoises, for instance, benefit from structural enrichments that mimic their natural habitats, such as varied terrain and opportunities for digging
Monitor lizards, with their high intelligence and activity levels, thrive with habitat designs that allow them to climb and explore
Snakes, although often overlooked, can experience improved mental health through environmental complexity, such as having various substrates to burrow in and objects with different textures to investigate.
Similarly, gopher tortoises enjoy enrichment that enables them to dig and explore, like large leaf piles or new substrate with exciting smells.
These enrichment strategies not only cater to the reptiles' physical needs but also stimulate their cognitive functions, leading to increased alertness, engagement, and overall well-being.
Providing such enrichments is crucial for the animals' mental health and can lead to a more resilient and active demeanor, ultimately reflecting the profound impact of thoughtful and species-appropriate care.
The project, which was completed as part of the school's Exploration Advisory course, demonstrates the benefits of incorporating real-world problem-solving into the classroom and producing a future generation of compassionate and adept problem-solvers who are prepared to positively influence the world.
