Ohio Student Turns School 3D Printer Into an Epilepsy Fundraiser

From Classroom Printer to Mini Business

Andy Barrett walked into his middle school tech lab like any other eighth grader. The 3D printer there mostly churned out keychains and small class projects. Andy saw something else: a way to make fidget toys for his classmates and raise money for epilepsy awareness.

He pitched the idea to his teachers at Granville Middle School and got to work. Andy taught himself 3D design software, tested different shapes, and tweaked hinges until the pieces felt right in your hand. The learning curve was steep. Clogged nozzles, failed prints, and wasted filament were part of the process.

150 Fidget Toys Sold, Zero Dollars Kept

By the end of the project, Andy had sold roughly 150 custom fidget toys to students, teachers, and neighbors. The toys cost him pennies in PLA to produce. He priced them low enough that anyone could buy one.

What stands out here is the intent. Andy kept none of the money. Every cent went to epilepsy awareness and research. The total raised was modest in the grand scheme of medical funding, but the lesson landed hard for a 13-year-old running a business out of a classroom.

Why It Matters

Fidget toys themselves are not revolutionary. 3D printers in schools are not new either. What makes this story worth reading is the ownership. Andy did not need a startup grant or a social media following. He needed a printer, some filament, and the willingness to show up early and fix his own mistakes.

Projects like this are why schools invest in 3D printing labs. The goal is not to produce a generation of CAD experts overnight. It is to give students a tool they can use to solve problems, test ideas, and build things that matter to them. Andy Barrett did exactly that.

If you are a parent or educator reading this, the takeaway is simple: let kids use the printer for real projects, not just trinkets. The best outcomes come when they own the design and care about the result.