Smithtown Teachers Create Masks For Hospitals With 3-D Printers

SMITHTOWN, NY — The career and technical teachers from the technology department at Smithtown Central School District have been creating masks and shields for staff at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown and Stony Brook University Hospital, the district said in a news release. The personal protective equipment can be used by front-line health care workers battling the new coronavirus.

Using their 3-D printers, the teachers created and delivered 140 masks/shields as of Wednesday. Teachers Brian Costello, Connor Kelly, Dave Savage, Caitlin Caputo and Sean Tomasello have been volunteering their time, using the 3-D printers from the school program to make the masks and shields. They have been working with Smithtown High School East 2019 graduate Ben Levine.

During his time at Smithtown High School East, Levine was very involved in the career and technical education department and was a member of the robotics team. He set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to purchase the filament and transparency film needed to make the masks. Levine has been working with the teachers to print and distribute them to front-line workers at the two hospitals.

"The teachers have been really passionate about wanting to do what they can to give back and assist the frontline workers," said Christine LoFrese, career and technical education direction, Smithtown Central School District. "It is so nice to see them all working together with a former grad on this project of coming up with the design and then implementing it. They are putting all their skills to good use and modeling what they teach to the students in their classes."