Marshall’s Holiday Concert Features Trumpets with 3D Printed Mouthpieces

What would you create with a 3D printer? That is precisely the question Marshall Fundamental School teacher Miguel Almena asked his students and colleagues when the school received a 3D printer donated by the Pasadena Educational Foundation. The answer: trumpet mouthpieces.

Trumpet mouthpieces break often, are expensive for the school to replace, and take a long time to arrive. Together with music teacher Joel Lopez, Almena and his students have manufactured 5 new trumpet mouthpieces using their new 3D printer technology. The mouthpieces will be utilized in this year’s Holiday Concert, December 13 at 6:00 p.m. at Pasadena High School (2925 E Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena).

Marshall is one of nine Pasadena Unified School District schools that received the donated printers. “Through the support of a generous donor, we can give the students of PUSD the opportunity to get their hands on next-gen technology and learn the creativity and collaboration skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow.” says Patrick Conyers, Executive Director of the Pasadena Educational Foundation.

“Creating the trumpet mouthpieces was a perfect opportunity to provide a real-world l earning opportunity for our students,” said Almena. “We found a need and utilized our 21st century technology to fill it.”

Marshall and several other PUSD schools now offer courses utilizing the 3D printers. Students are introduced to design and manufacturing through team-based activities that replicate the manufacturing process from concept to design to fabrication to marketing.

More information on the Pasadena Educational Foundation 3D printer program in PUSD is available online at: http://pasedfoundation.org/pusd3d