Hamden Schools ‘Printing’ Face Shields For EMS Workers

HAMDEN, CT — A Hamden High School student is leading an effort to get protective face shields to hospital workers – with the help of 3D printers. Connor Larocque, a junior, emailed his principal and several teachers last Friday to ask if he could use the school’s 3D printers to create face shields for hospital workers.

“I’ve already started printing some of my own… and we have the tools (at HHS) to help aid the global fight against COVID,” Larocque said. “I believe we should use them.”

Larocque previously connected with Bruce Crowder, an engineer who lives in Hamden and is a parent of another Hamden student. Crowder found open-source code online to “print” the frame for the face shields and, together with Larocque, has already printed and delivered shields to Connecticut health care providers, according to a news release.

The 3D printers at Hamden High are usually utilized in the district’s new “HECA” program (Hamden Engineering Careers Academy). HECA lead teacher Gabe Jenkins has volunteered his time, along with Crowder, to create the shields in the HECA lab.

Larocque will continue to make the face shields from home.

“I can do my school work in Google Classroom while they are printing,” said Larocque. Hamden students are currently “attending” school online due to the new coronavirus pandemic.

“When we heard that we had the ability to provide needed safety equipment for our emergency medical services professionals, we were all-in,” Superintendent of Schools Jody Goeler said. “The fact that the idea came from one of our students and one of our parents – well, I could not be more proud. What a fantastic demonstration of creativity and generosity from our school community.”

The goal is to make at least 100 face shields so that every EMS worker in Hamden will be protected, according to the news release.