GoBabyGo! Program Kicks Off Fifth Year At Edgewood Middle School
GoBabyGo! Program Kicks Off Fifth Year At Edgewood Middle School
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Jackie Gorski-jgorski@timesuniononline.com
GoBabyGo! Program Kicks Off Fifth Year At Edgewood Middle SchoolA new year for the GoBabyGo! program kicked off Thursday at Edgewood Middle School to help five toddlers be more independent.
This is the fifth year where Edgewood Middle School students are taking part in the GoBabyGo! program. During GoBabyGo!, 12-volt vehicles will be modified for toddlers that have developmental disabilities. Each car is represented by a group of students with engineers from the community. Students are collaborating with the engineers, redesigning and rebuilding the Jeeps.
EMS students will work in teams with mentors from Dalton, Grace College, DePuy, Zimmer Biomet and Paragon Medical. The teams work on the Jeeps for several weeks in two-hour sessions.
The design might have to be reconfigured at that point.
During the modification process, the teams take into consideration what issues there are with the toddler, whether it be a mobility issue or something else, and modify the Jeep accordingly.
Up until this point, Edgewood Project Lead The Way teacher Abbi Richcreek said the program will have successfully made 17 Jeeps. The five Jeeps that are being made, bringing the total of Jeeps made up to 22, will be given to the children at Third Friday with the Fat Skinny Tire Fest May 19 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., where the GoBabyGo! program will have a booth and the children will be driving around in their Jeeps. The children will be able to bring home the Jeeps after Third Friday. The program is made possible from KEYS grant from Kosciusko County Community Foundation and a donation from the Austin Sindelar family.
Richcreek said she hopes the Edgewood students learn from their mentors, as well as get guidance, from them. She also hopes the students use critical thinking skills while working on the Jeeps.
Chris Lord, from DePuy, said it was his third year as a mentor in the GoBabyGo! program. Karl Gast, from DePuy, said it was his fourth or fifth. Lord said he got involved with the program because he likes helping kids. Gast said it’s fun watching the Edgewood students volunteer for the program as well, as they take an interest an interest in modifying the Jeeps and helping someone.
Lord said, hopefully, the mentors teach the Edgewood students something they don’t know. Gast said he hopes students learn how to take things apart and put them back together better.
Gast hopes the Jeeps open up some opportunities for the kids that get them.
Richcreek hopes the children get their independence, which means they can get into the Jeeps and drive around. She also wants the children to want to drive the Jeeps because they provide independence. She also hopes students gain confidence and socialization.
Parent Renee Case thinks the GoBabyGo! program is absolutely amazing, as it’s giving Edgewood students an opportunity to meeting different children that have different disabilities or abilities, as well as build something the students are proud of and benefits the children that are driving the Jeeps.
She said she hopes daughter Ivy is able to get freedom. Renee said they’ll use the remote control to “wheel her around,” but she hopes the Jeep will give her some semblance of independence.
Parent Jenn Bruce said the Jeep looks like it will be a good fit for daughter Coralynn for a while. Coralynn has used Power Wheels before and has had issues with them previously.
They have a really big yard and Jenn wants Coralynn to be able use it and access things like some of the play things in the yard, which she has some problems doing right now. Jenn thinks the Jeep will be a cool way for Coralynn to get around.
Parent Kathy Santamaria said the Jeep was more than what she expected it be and was more work than she expected that was being put into modifying the Jeep for daughter Marleigh.
Grandmother Joan Santamaria hopes the Jeep is able to bring more fun to Marleigh, as well as allow her to keep up with other kids.
Kathy said she just wants to see Marleigh smile in the Jeep with the wind in her hair and help her be brave.
