Engineering Ella

One of the tremendous things about a P-H-M education is that our teachers work to instill a sense of giving back in our students. Through project-based learning projects, students become citizens of the world by learning to help others. PBL programs are going on every school day across P-H-M, at all levels: elementary, middle and high school.

For three years in a row, Penn’s STEM Academy engineering and robotics students have adopted a project to benefit a child in need. In 2015, they built a prosthetic arm for  a 3rd grade Madison student in “Hands of Grace” project, which garnered national attention.

Last year, the all-female Introduction to Engineering Design class helped an Elsie Rogers kindergarten student stricken with Joubert Syndrome find his voice in the “Voice for Braylen” project.

This year with the “Engineering Ella” project, Team 135 students are helping an area child with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1. Ella Hunt is a homebound student whose mother is a Penn grad. Ella’s disease has confined her to powerchair. She only has the ability to use the left and right hand switch, but it is especially challenging making it very difficult for her to control and maneuver independently. Through the national organization AT Makers Penn Robotics students got connected with Ella.

Visit www.missiontoengineer.team135.org  to learn more about the collaboration between AT Makers and Team 135.

While getting to know Ella and her family since last spring, Team 135 members have been giving Ella ongoing technical support adapting functions on her powerchair to help improve her quality of life. So far the students have made finger sensor holders prototyped new versions of her arm chair stabilizers. Students are also in the process of developing newer versions of her finger covers, new chair programs, mobile hand hammocks (allowing for her to use her sensors anywhere), a dog walking device, mirror light for her therapy room, and an iPad holder that would allow her to adjust her eye Gaze while on the go.

Continue to check back for updates on this project.