As a Valentine’s Day surprise for CCCBSD faculty, Janice Coughlin, Assistive Technology Specialist, and Joe Sharamitaro, IT Specialist, began using the 3D printer to to create cookie cutters of the American Sign Language (ASL) sign for “I love you.” 

When Rachel Barstow, CCC Assistant Program Director, approached Janice to talk about ideas for what she could do for a project based on a book she was going to read aloud for her son’s classroom at a different school, Janice suggested utilizing the cookie cutters to make clay ornaments. Rachel did just that and she and her son shared the clay ornaments with the class, using them to teach the students about ASL. She then worked with her family to utilize the cutters to bake some sugar cookies that she shared with CCCBSD staff.  Upon posting her baking adventure on Facebook, many people were interested to know where she got such unique and fun cookie cutters. Though the plan is still to distribute the creations to teachers, Joe and Janice now have a greater endeavor!

Typically, each cutter takes around an hour to print. Joe programs the machine to produce multiple at the same time, maximizing efficiency. He will leave the printer running overnight, and come back in the morning to multiple completed cookie cutters. After cleaning them up a bit, they are ready to go. In total, the larger cookie cutters cost a few cents over a dollar to make. Smaller ones cost only seventy-five cents.

At CCCBSD, the cookie cutters have many uses. Students can use them as cookie cutters when baking as well as incorporate them into sensory activities. They can be used on salt dough to paint and decorate, with play doh to create shapes, or anything else that our creative teachers can think of. Going forward, Janice hopes to give students the opportunity to pick the color of their cutters, assist with the printing process, and ultimately use them and perhaps bring them home to share with their families.

Though the project is still in the early stages, Janice and Joe are enthusiastic about different ways the cookie cutters can be utilized throughout the school. For more information about this exciting project, contact info@cccbsd.org.