SAVE THE DATE: Join Abbi Richcreek, volunteers, and students on Friday, May 7 at 5:30 pm downtown for Warsaw's First Friday. Edgewood Middle School students with community mentors have been working hard to customize vehicles for some amazing toddlers.
A HUGE thank you to all who donated time and money for this awesome project.
GoBabyGo!
This program provides a means to play, move, and explore for children who have limited or no independent mobility. Here is the GoBabyGo! website: https://sites.udel.edu/gobabygo/
1. How long does it usually take for the cars to be worked on?
We have 5-6 sessions that run for 2 hours each. Students can also work on the car during student resource time. Depending on the type of modifications some cars have more time put into them.
2. How are the toddlers chosen?
I coordinate with WCS Director of Special Services, Amy Hobbs. She collaborates with WCS teachers to nominate toddlers who have mobility issues.
3. What goes into modifying them?
The first session: EMS students and mentors are placed in their teams. Each team has 4-5 students and at least 2 mentors. Each team is assigned a specific toddler and a jeep color. The toddlers/parents come (about an hour later) and stay about 45 minutes. This is the time that the groups get to know their toddler. The parents are also interviewed by the team. The team needs to know the goals from the parent for their toddler. If the toddler cannot speak, the students give them options on their iPad. The teams may need to measure the toddler and they start to develop a design plan. A budget is assigned to each group and they can request items to purchase. A physical therapist, Dr. Aaron Turner, from KCH attends and develops notes and recommendations for each toddler on their jeep modification.
The 2nd/3rd meeting is again a design/build session. I prepare all items requested for each group. The mentors and students work on the jeep modification. We provide tools and sometimes mentors bring their own. They can continue to request items for the next design/build session if needed.
The 4th design/build session is where the toddlers/parents come back to try the design. The toddlers come at 4. The teams evaluate and reflect on their build to determine what other modifications are needed and what works well. The toddlers get in the jeeps and the students work with them. The parents are very involved by providing feedback for the team building the modified jeep.
The 5th & 6th design/build sessions are finishing the modifications on the jeep. The groups determine if more time is needed. Some groups schedule more work time after school.
- Warsaw 1st Friday event on May 7.
This is a celebration of the project. Students, toddlers, parents of toddlers, and mentors will be present 5:30-6:30 pm.
This is an opportunity to display the hard work of the EMS students and mentors. This is truly a collaborative effort. This project is a real-world, hands-on, minds-on endeavor. Each jeep is modified specifically for each toddler. The toddlers are allowed to take the jeeps home with them (after 6:30). There is no cost involved for the parents for their jeep. We hope that this modified jeep promotes social independence. The EMS students have also incorporated sensory objects on the jeeps. We hope that these sensory objects will engage their senses.
4. On First Friday, will all five toddlers be there?
Yes, all of the 5 toddlers are planning to attend. Of course, we have to make sure all of the toddlers are healthy.
5. When you say the modified cars will be demonstrated, what do you mean by that?
The toddlers will be driving the cars around the GoBabyGo! area. EMS students will be present assisting the toddlers. Mentors will also be present. This is our end-of-the-project celebration. The toddlers will be learning how to operate their jeep. Parents will learn about the features that the modified cars have to offer. Displaying our hard work for the community to see and judge.
6. What do you hope people get out of the demonstration?
The public will be able to see how the toddlers can be independent. To demonstrate the embracing of inclusiveness.
7. Where do the engineers and students come from? Are they all Edgewood students?
Depuy
Dalton Foundries
ZimmerBiomet
Paragon Medical
WCS
Physical Therapist from KCH-Dr. Aaron Turner
All EMS students who are participating in this project.
Abbi Richcreek, "I could not do this without our mentors. They make this project possible. "
8. What are the cars used for when given to the toddlers?
The cars are given to the toddlers to use. We hope that this creates independence and motivation for the toddlers. Most of the cars also include sensory objects and other ways for the toddlers to manipulate items too.
Donations drive this project: Special Thanks: Warsaw's VFW, Stookey Construction, Everest Excavating, ClearWater Car Wash, E Investments, and a private donation from the Nick Stouder Family.
Additional Information
We learned that one toddler did not have a place to store the modified jeep.
Abbi Richcreek reached out to Warsaw Area Career Center's construction teacher, Marc Huffer (mhuffer@warsawschools.org) and his students built a mini garage for the jeep to be stored inside when they take it home.
We also hope to have this on display at the Warsaw 1st Friday Event.
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