A new STEM-focused, 3-D fundraising project is under way at Shady Side Academy Senior School in Fox Chapel.
The Build the Bulldog project is a crowd-sourced, collaborative, global effort where community members and makers work together to design and make a 3-D printed statue of the Shady Side Academy Bulldog.
There are two ways to participate: print a blue piece on a 3-D printer by June 30 or make a monetary gift of support to engrave a gold piece.
Jesse Robinson, educator and director of the Glimcher Tech & Design Hub, serves as project coordinator.
“Shady Side community is coming together from around the world to Build the Bulldog,” said Robinson, noting participants can follow donor locations globally on a map found at shadysideacademy.org
When completed sometime this fall, the 3-D mascot statue will stand guard on the porch of the Glimcher Tech & Design Hub on campus. The bulldog will measure more than 4 feet high and 7 feet long and will be consist of 530 blue and gold pieces.
“The fact that people from around the world are getting involved and collaborating with us to help build our mascot is cool to me,” Robinson said.
Anyone can participate, and donations have been received from participants in India, England, France and Africa.
“Build the Bulldog is a unique project that offers SSA alumni, community members and makers around the world the chance to get involved, whether by 3-D printing a piece or by making a gift of financial support,” said Allison Saras, director of alumni and development.
To date, more than 160 patterns for blue pieces made from PLA 3-D filament, often used in 3 printing, have been sent out and about 20 have returned to campus.
“The entire project consists of 530 pieces, and there’s no doubt in my mind that we will get them all,” Robinson said.
More pieces were delivered today for the @shady_side #BuildtheBulldog project. We have the tip of the tail! pic.twitter.com/4gbVeBdZJA
— Jesse Robinson (@RobinsonJesse) April 27, 2022
On campus, Robinson creates the pieces with a Ultimaker 3D Printer.
“But people can use any 3D printer they might have. The pieces are appropriately scaled for any machine,” Robinson said.
Make a gift of $1883 or more to support the #BuildtheBulldog project by Monday, May 2, and we’ll custom engrave a gold piece of the Bulldog statue in honor of your gift! Your gift will count towards the Cornerstone Day of Giving goal! https://t.co/iJLW8oZlYW pic.twitter.com/QuA0bntlqH
— Shady Side Academy (@shady_side) April 30, 2022
Each gift of $1,883 (Shady Side Academy’s founding year) or more to the Blue & Gold Fund will allow the donor to have a metallic gold piece engraved with custom text. So far, seven gifts of $1,883 have been received.
Tyler Sosi lives in Iowa and heard about the fundraiser from a 3-D related Facebook group.
He’s not an SSA alum, but just enjoys 3D printing. He printed six pieces and mailed them to Robinson, along with a note of thanks for spearheading the project.
“Can’t wait to see the end result as it should be really cool,” Sosi wrote.
In 2020, the school discontinued the use of Indian as mascot and team name.
After forming a 20-person new mascot name committee and conducting a 5-month search, Shady Side Academy chose the Bulldogs as their new nickname and mascot.
