Viewpoint School 3D Prints Supplies For Local Hospitals

CALABASAS, CA — The Viewpoint School in Calabasas has found a way to help many local hospitals struggling to keep up with the demand for their workers’ protective gear: just press “print.”

It’s really that simple — almost. Students and teachers at the private K-12 school have used 3D printing technology to create more than 400 face masks, visors, and more for hospitals throughout the county, using 3D printers, plastic, and free software that tells the printer the design of what to print.

The project was started by Viewpoint faculty Alison Corneau, a K-5 technology integration specialist, and Lisa Kessler, a K-5 innovation space teacher. Corneau and Kessler had heard on social media how others were using 3D printers to print personal protective supplies for hospitals in need. Corneau and Kessler had already brought 3D printers home with them to be able to print student work during distance learning, so once spring break started, with the blessing and pledged support of Viewpoint Head of School Mark McKee and dedicated help of their colleagues science department chair Craig Didden, computer science and design teacher Lara Didden, engineering, physics, and robotics teacher Lance Rush, and middle school science teacher Gregg Kessler, they went on findthemasks.com to find nearby hospitals that needed supplies.

Soon, nearby West Hills Hospital reached out for masks, and other Viewpoint families with 3D printers were offering to help make them. Corneau and Kessler shared the files with instructions for the printer with the families, and soon medical technology was printing throughout Calabasas homes.

“Think of a hot gun that’s programmed to a computer program,” Corneau said. “You’re pushing up some plastic, but the computer is reading how to design that plastic on a print bed.”

Corneau said that one mask requires about two hours to print, so she and Kessler have their printers humming all day long.

Once the masks, visors, face shields, and straps were ready, Viewpoint families delivered them to West Hills, the Keck Hospital of USC, Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, Care One Medical Center, and doctor’s offices, nursing homes, and pharmacies. More and more Calabasas residents, including some outside the Viewpoint community, continue to print and ship out supplies to increasing numbers of facilities. Many health care workers have reached out to Corneau and Kessler to tell them how much their supplies have helped.

“We have been receiving pictures of the health care workers receiving them,” Corneau said. “They appear to be super grateful, and they have acknowledged in email or social media, so it’s been pretty fantastic to see how we are helping with our Viewpoint community in action.”

The Viewpoint community has been helping support health care workers in other ways. Younger students are writing messages to health care workers that are enclosed within shields, and the swim and cross-country teams have raised money for and delivered over 150 meals to West Hills, and contributed money to the fund paying for 3D printing supplies.

“It’s really been an incredible journey to see people coming together, because everyone wants to help,” Kessler said.