For Niwot High School senior Dinh Pham, a childhood friendship in Vietnam became the inspiration for innovation. Working at the Innovation Center, he designed and 3D-printed educational tools inspired by his childhood and a close friend who gradually lost his vision to cataracts, which limited their time playing games together.
“I still wanted to play with him, so I tried to make a tactile version of the board game we used to play,” Pham said.
Using skills developed through the Innovation Center, Pham created tactile board games, custom maps of Vietnam, braille training cells and anatomy models. The tools were distributed to 11 schools for the blind in Vietnam through a nonprofit organization that supports more than 750 students.
That early experience eventually evolved into a more advanced design project supported by the Innovation Center. Pham used the equipment and workspace at the Innovation Center to design, test and refine each model.
Many of the tools were created to improve accessibility and reduce the physical effort required by traditional braille learning methods.
Pham also designed accessible versions of traditional Vietnamese board games to encourage collaboration and social interaction. Game pieces feature engraved animal silhouettes and braille labels, allowing students to identify pieces through touch.
Throughout the design process, Pham refined the models based on feedback from the nonprofit organization. Representatives visited the Innovation Center to test the tools and provide recommendations, leading to additional improvements.
Axel Reitzig, Executive Director of Innovation at the Innovation Center, said the project reflects St. Vrain’s approach to student learning.
“We want students to develop skills, gain access to resources and then tap into a passion that’s in service to others,” Reitzig said. “This project is a powerful example of what happens when students are given agency and support.”
He said the Innovation Center is designed to give students both independence and guidance as they pursue real-world projects.
“We want students to have full agency and to be the captains of their ship,” Reitzig said.
Pham credited the Innovation Center’s equipment, workspace and support as essential to completing the project and turning an idea into a finished product.
Through projects like this, St. Vrain continues to support student innovation, creativity and service, empowering learners to apply their skills beyond the classroom and make a meaningful difference in their communities and the world.