Kentucky School Advocate
May 2020
By Matt McCarty
Staff writer
Jason Gay was doing a presentation on 3D printers at a school technology conference when Gov. Andy Beshear asked Kentucky school districts to close due to COVID-19.
Since then, the Fort Thomas Independent Schools media technology specialist has been using his 3D printing knowledge to print medical supplies and deliver them to St. Elizabeth Hospital in northern Kentucky.
“What I’ve been trying to do is just give them whatever I can to help out as much as possible,” Gay said. “And there’s been a lot of really good resources online that have linked up a lot of other companies and put out plans and stuff that are approved to print.”
With his district closed, Gay contacted his superintendent and principal to ask if he could take the school’s 3D printers home to make the supplies.
“(Fort Thomas Superintendent) Karen Cheser said if there’s ways that we can, as a school district, support our medical professionals, absolutely. That's what we're about,” he said. “And I think that that speaks a lot to us being empathetic. I also think it says a lot about being creative.”
Gay also helped one of his students, Magnus Sieverding, begin 3D printing supplies at home.
They have mostly concentrated on printing H-shaped ventilator connectors, surgical mask bands, face shields, three ring punched plastic protector and comfort clips for face masks. While Gay is using the district’s printers, he buys the supplies himself.
“I hope other people across the state that do have 3D printers can make the stuff that they need that's approved,” he said.
Gay can make about 40 bands and 10 ventilator connectors each day. The hospital workers he sees when he makes a delivery are always thankful for his efforts, he said.
Other districts have also put their 3D printers to use. At Eminence Independent Schools three employees took turns 3D printing personal protective equipment in partnership with the University of Louisville and a student in Augusta Independent printed face masks bands.
Districts also found other ways to help. Grayson County Schools nursing staff rounded up all of their supplies and donated them to the Grayson County Health Department and a nursing home, and many area technology centers did the same with PPE used for healthcare pathways.
Mason County Schools converted its STEAM Academy into a temporary medical facility in case of overflow from hospitals. As of late April, the facility had not been needed. Several high schools across the state also served as locations for drive-through coronavirus testing.
Gay said he is glad that he and his district have been able to help the medical community during this time of crisis.
“I think we're in a situation, you know, this is unprecedented,” he said, “and I think it's going to be something when I'm going to look back on my career, I think that I'm going to recognize this time because I'm glad I did what I did.”
Follow this link for information about making medical supplies with 3D printers.