PICO RIVERA, California—Most kids will tell you they watched television or played video games over the summer. On the other hand, if you ask Armenian Mesrobian School 5th Grader Michael Krikorian, he’ll say he spent his summer designing and 3D printing a model of Mesrobian School’s campus.
“He spent a lot of time on it,” said Mikael’s father Garo Krikorian, who was full of pride after Michael presented his creation to the full student body at Tuesday morning’s campus lineup. Michael’s mom, Natalie, is also a Mesrobian alumna.
Michael’s passion for design will be further nurtured during the school year, as Mesrobian continues to underscore its emphasis on STEAM, which stands for Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics in a school curriculum.
Mesrobian School purchased a 3D printer as an additional educational resource, with the goal of eventually having students use the technology as a part of their instruction. Last year when a 6th Grader needed a part for his science fair project, the school found an open-source blueprint for the part and printed it at Mesrobian rather than waiting weeks to order a small part. It seems like Michael may be one of the first in line to take advantage of this technology.
“I designed the model on a 3D printer called MakerBot with a program called Tinkercad,” Michael shares excitedly.
Now, some may be wondering “How exactly does one print a school?” 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a way to create a three-dimensional object through various processes. In 3D printing, layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object base. These objects can be of almost any shape or geometry and are produced from a 3D model or other electronic data source. A 3D printer is a type of industrial robot.
If you would like to see the 3D printed model of Armenian Mesrobian School, it is proudly displayed in the front office’s trophy case for all to see.
Armenian Mesrobian School, established in 1965, is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and has Ron and Goharik Gabriel Preschool (which serves students 2-5 years old), Elementary, Middle School and a college preparatory High School on the same campus. A major convenience for parents who may have children at multiple ages, Mesrobian offers a unique perspective and opportunity for students, teachers, and parents to grow together, and for students to get the attention and nurturing they need to be successful in school and in life. The High School curriculum is certified to the University of California. Mesrobian’s Alumni Network and Mentorship Program connects students with five decades of alumni who have distinguished themselves in fields as diverse as education, science, business, medicine, music, law, dentistry, chiropractic, politics, art, marketing, engineering, veterinary medicine, and psychology.
If you are interested in scheduling a campus visit or enrolling your child, please contact the school at (562) 699-2057 or (323) 723-3181, or email info@mesrobian.org.
