Any time a student gets to take their class work and apply it to a real-world problem...

"It's a teacher's dream," says Denise Ginocchi, STEM Teacher at West Branch Middle School.

And for 7th-grade STEM students at West Branch Middle School, their lessons in 3D printing wouldn't just stay in the classroom.

"Applying it to real-world situations, we have a use for it so it's just not for making something just to have it, we made it to help somebody else and that makes us feel really good," says West Branch 7th grader Everett Zippay.

Mrs. Ginocchi's class was tasked with helping a local farmer who had purchased 4 planter boxes. He needed replacement pieces but was told he would need to replace the boxes entirely, that's when the class stepped.

"It was cool because I've never done anything like this before. It's something new you get to do and it's very fun to do because you know you're helping someone while doing something you love doing," says West Branch 7th grader Joel Sanor.

After a few prototypes, the class 3d printed an exact match, saving the farmer close to 300 dollars.

Mrs. Ginocchi's STEM class wasn't done 3d printing after they helped a local farmer. They helped a teacher, here at the middle school, and when the band decided to play Pink Panther they made little mustaches for their instruments with the 3D printer right here in class.

"Teaching students 21st-century skills and critical thinking and problem-solving and having them adapt it to a real-world problem is a teacher's dream," adds Ginocchi. 

This is the 7th year that the school has taught 3D printing.

Both Everett and Joel say, that thanks to their STEM class, they now want to go on to have a career in engineering.

The school has also partnered with the company Invent2make in Youngstown to further its 3D printing curriculum.