by America Makes
Warriors’ player Harrison Barnes shows up as a hero to empower children in the Next Industrial Revolution.
Youngstown, Ohio – March 11, 2014. America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, and MakerBot, the global leader in the desktop 3D printing industry, are pleased to announce that a National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Golden State Warriors, have joined the MakerBot Academy initiative to bring 3D printing technology to a local school in the San Francisco Bay Area. America Makes Founding Director Ralph Resnick, MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis, and Warriors Forward Harrison Barnes, hand-delivered a MakerBot® Replicator® 2 Desktop 3D Printer to Oakland High School yesterday.
America Makes and MakerBot hope that this partnership with the Golden State Warriors marks the beginning of a combined effort to reach into the communities of all 30 NBA teams through the MakerBot Academy initiative. MakerBot Academy was launched in November 2013 and through corporate and individual partnerships, has already funded more than 1,000 teacher requests to receive a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer in the classroom, which has the capability to reach more than 300,000 students today. The MakerBot Academy program is available to public school teachers through DonorsChoose.org.
“There are more than 100,000 public schools in the United States,” noted Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. “As a former teacher, it has been my goal to help put a MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer in every school in America. This is a lofty goal, but one I believe we can accomplish together. With the partnership and support of organizations, such as the Golden State Warriors and America Makes, we are one step closer to that goal.”
“It is a slam dunk for the students of Oakland High School to receive and have access to 3D printing technology, thanks to the Golden State Warriors’ support of the mission of MakerBot Academy. This is empowering our next generation of innovators-and an outstanding example of what can be accomplished through teamwork.
Collaboration and teamwork are central to sports, and it’s also central to making things,” said America Makes Founding Director Ralph Resnick. “We gratefully acknowledge the pledge by the Golden State Warriors to continue to participate in this initiative to reach more schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. America Makes and MakerBot also welcome the opportunity to work with more NBA teams throughout the country to bring 3D printing technology to communities across the NBA nation.”
“America Makes is incredibly proud to be a part of this collective mission to put a 3D printer in every school in America through the MakerBot Academy program,” added Mr. Resnick. “One of the key tenets of America Makes is to not only advance additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies, but also to educate students and train workers in these technologies to create an adaptive, leading U.S. workforce. This is how we grow our nation’s economy and get ahead. This is how we lead as history has proven that ‘When America Makes, America Works!'”
The MakerBot Academy is a unique partnership founded in November 2013 by MakerBot and America Makes, along with DonorsChoose.org and other corporate partners, and was a response to a call to action by the President of the United States. In his 2013 State of the Union Address, the President stated, “3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything. We must ensure that the Next Industrial Revolution in manufacturing will happen in America.”
MakerBot was inspired by the President’s commitment to keep America at the forefront of the Next Industrial Revolution and remains eager to do its part to educate today’s students-the next generation of innovative makers, engineers, product designers, architects, and artists-who could benefit from having 3D printing technology in the classroom.
Based in Youngstown, Ohio and driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in additive manufacturing and 3D printing technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation. Awarded in August 2012, it is the flagship institute for the President’s infrastructure of up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes to follow, which function as centralized hubs to help make American manufacturers more competitive and encourage investment in the United States.
Together, America Makes and MakerBot are determined to help provide the next generation of American Makers with a relevant STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics-education and access to 3D printing technology so they are prepared to solve the challenges of tomorrow.
If your organization is interested in partnering with America Makes and MakerBot to inspire the next generation and strengthen America’s global competitiveness, email MakerBot Academy at academy@makerbot.com or visit makerbot.com/academy.
About America Makes
America Makes is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP), America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3DP technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation.
Structured as a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, non-government agencies, and workforce and economic development resources, we are working together to innovate and accelerate AM and 3DP to increase our nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the first institute for up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes to follow and is driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). For more information about America Makes, visit http://americamakes.us.
America Makes
236 West Boardman Street
Youngstown Ohio 44503 USA
Phone: 330-622-4299
About NCDMM
The NCDMM delivers optimized manufacturing solutions that enhance the quality, affordability, maintainability, and rapid deployment of existing and yet-to-be developed defense systems. This is accomplished through collaboration with government, industry, and academic organizations to promote the implementation of best practices to key stakeholders through the development and delivery of disciplined training, advanced technologies, and methodologies. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at www.ncdmm.org.
