When Gail Tepper and her husband, Artie, first heard that their grandson was part of a growing movement to help make masks for healthcare workers, they couldnāt be prouder. Describing the teen as, āa wonderful, kind and caring young man that is very knowledgeable with computers,ā it was no surprise to the Teppers that his efforts would catch the attention of the Great Big Story, a media company whose micro-documentaries and short films have been viewed by millions of people on websites like Facebook and YouTube.
But what makes Jack Sloanās story truly inspiring is the fact that at only 14-years-old, heās worked hard to master his love of 3D printing to create as many as 65 face shield masks in the past 4 weeks so far.
Local teen Jack Sloan uses 3D printing technology to manufacture face shields for frontline healthcare workers. (Photo provided)
Tepper explains that Sloanās inspiration to begin working on face masks came from a worry Sloan had for his uncle.
āMy son is a doctor. Heās been working with COVID-19 patients. [Jack] kept hearing about this shortage of masks and he was concerned for his uncle. Jack did the research and found this organization he could work with,ā she said.
Masks for Docs is the global not-for-profit Sloan stumbled upon from a social media post made by one of the 3D printer brands he follows online. The organization utilizes volunteers from around the globe to meet their goal of getting protective supplies into the hands of healthcare workers as quickly as possible.
āWhat they do is they encourage people to make groups because they donāt want protective supplies coming from one centralized source. My uncle was the first person that I made a mask for,ā Sloan said, āI got into 3D printing two and a half years ago in sixth grade. When I saw that they didnāt cost a crazy price, I asked for a 3D printer for the holidays. Itās really easy and it just takes some trial and error to get started.ā
It takes Sloan 45 minutes to 3D print the headband pieces and the plastic bottom of the masks, while assembling them only takes him a few minutes. This includes hole punching the plastic sheets and cutting them down to size.
Sloan with his 3D printer. (Photo provided)
āWeāre so proud of him. Iāve sent his story to others in Sun City. One of my neighbors even asked me where they can donate money to [Jack] because it does cost him money to make the masks. But he isnāt looking for money. Heās so smart. Heās going to go far,ā Tepper said.
Tepper recounts that Sloan has been involved in charitable efforts since he was much younger.
āWhen he was younger, Jack would donate money he would get from lemonade stands to animal shelters. He did that for a few years,ā she said.
According to Sloan, each mask costs around $1 to $1.50 to make. While not a terrible expense, costs do add up. Though Sloan makes it clear that he prefers anyone looking to donate money should do so directly to Masks for Docs instead.
āI like being able to do things myself and to have a direct impact by combining my interest in technology with my interest to help others. I never really expected it to get this far and itās so exciting to have it be a part of my life. There are so many ways to help out. If you know how to sew, you can use that to make masks too. Doing whatever you can do to stay at home right now is especially helpful,ā Sloan said.
To donate to Masks for Docs or to learn more about their mission to help healthcare workers, residents can visit their website at www.masksfordocs.com.
