Seneca Valley Teachers Create Face Shields For First Responders

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA - While Seneca Valley School District teachers can't use 3D printers for classroom instruction during the coronavirus outbreak, they are using them to make personal protective equipment for health care and emergency services workers.

After seeing a national story of others doing similar work, Superintendent Tracy Vitale suggested Seneca Valley do it. Since then, instructors such as Ken Macek, Steve Fortunato, Joe Logsdon, Steve Wolfe and Eric Fogle and Seneca Valley Academy of Choice assistant principal Ashely Porter have made dozens of face shields for those on the front lines of the outbreak.

"We recently held a virtual meeting about the design and how we would distribute them,” said Macek, a Seneca Valley Academy of Choice technology teacher. “It’s definitely a team effort and we’re just trying to print as much as possible to then donate to essential workers around the SV community. "

Fogle, Haine Middle School librarian and creativity, innovation and research center teacher, said his wife - an area pharmacist - wore the prototype to work for several days and provided feedback to help him create the final design. Working with 3DPPGH, a Pittsburgh-based organization of digital fabrication enthusiasts, Fogle and his Seneca Valley coworkers have procured supplies and will be contributing to 3DPPGH’s inventory, as well as helping local Cranberry Township first responders.

“I was already following the story Dr. Vitale shared and I was on board right away, as were my coworkers,” Fogle said..

Those interested in making a monetary donation to secure additional supplies for this effort should visit https://mtyc.co/4jb13g. Those needing equipment for a health care agency should contact Annie Mersing, Seneca Valley Foundation Development Director at mersingam@svsd.net.