Rhode Island

Students Use 3-D Printer to Build Prosthetic Arm for Rhode Island Boy

A group of engineering students have given a 9-year-old Rhode Island boy a special Christmas gift: a prosthetic arm.

Scituate High School students presented Ollie Mancini Thursday with a prosthetic arm that they created using a 3-D printer. Ollie was born without the lower part of his left arm.

"It was really inspiring. I've never thought I'd do anything like this," sophomore Leah Bessette told WJAR-TV. "I'm really proud of myself and everyone else who's a part of this."

After putting on the purple prosthetic, Ollie celebrated by giving hugs, shaking hands, throwing his arms in the air, and even opening opening a door.

His mother, Nicole Mancini, is a teacher at the middle school in Scituate. She heard of others using 3-D printers to build prosthetics and approached the high school with the idea.

Mancini says the students have given her son "the gift of the independence."

"You have no idea. I mean, I say that Scituate is a family. Most of the kids in the engineering program I had in the eighth grade, and the fact that they wanted to help me and my son is the greatest gift anyone could ever have," Mancini said to WJAR-TV.

The school hopes to be able to make another arm for Ollie as he grows.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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