‘I am extremely grateful.’ Here are three positive stories from Middle Georgia

During the coronavirus pandemic, Middle Georgia has witnessed several members of its community step up to help out in any way they can, and it is also nice to be reminded that good things are still happening in the community.

Organizations are making face shields and masks, and students are moving on to greater things after graduation.

Here is a list of the positive stories that have happened in Middle Georgia.

Stratford Academy teachers have started producing masks

Stratford Academy teachers and alumni have started producing medical masks for Stratford parents in the medical community, according to a news release.

Holly Leskovics, a STEAM teacher at Stratford, found a way to construct medical masks with a 3D printer after Dr. Margaret Moore, a pediatric dentist and parent of a student at Stratford, expressed her concerns for her staff during the coronavirus outbreak and the personal protective equipment shortage.

Hundreds of masks have been produced by Leskovics and her volunteers for Stratford parents and alumni all over the world, according to the release.

Lauren Parris, a middle school French teacher, has also joined the fight to make masks, but she is helping make cloth masks with her coworkers at Theatre Macon and Mercer University’s theater department.

“About a week ago, I was tagged along with two other ladies in a social media post that expressed a need for washable masks,” Parris said. “So, we each raided our fabric stashes and met in the shop at the Mercer University theater department to grind some out. It has turned into such a rewarding project.”

Middle Georgia State University to create thousands of medical face shield components

Middle Georgia State University’s Center for Software Innovation is using 3D printers to produce around 4,000 medical face shields to distribute to medical professionals at Robins Air Force Base, Houston Healthcare Center, and other facilities, according to a news release.

“The shortfall of personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic is a critical issue that needs an ‘all hands on deck’ response,” said Alex Koohang, dean of Middle Georgia State’s School of Computing. “The Center for Software Innovation on our Warner Robins Campus is using its 3D printing capabilities to help meet this need.”

MGA responded to a request from Lt. Col. Jay Vizcarra, the 461st Air Control Wing’s innovation chief, to create components needed to assemble PPE. MGA is specifically making the brackets on which the shields are mounted, according to the release.

Robins AFB, Houston County Career Academy’s Firestarter FabLab and Mercer University are also creating components for PPE. MGA and the partners can produce about 126 face shields per week.

Mercer students selected to travel abroad in prestigious programs

Mercer University seniors Ariel Daniels and Meg Hicks received Fulbright U.S. Student Awards to serve as Fulbright English teaching assistants in Morocco and Mongolia, according to a news release.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to return to such a rich and vibrant country as a Fulbright Scholar. I hope this experience allows me to build new relationships, improve my French and Arabic language skills, learn more about Moroccan culture, and gain valuable teaching experience to bring back to the United States,” Daniels said.

Daniels, a double major in political science and international affairs, will be placed in a Moroccan public university and provide assistance to the permanent teaching staff.

Hicks, a double major in international affairs and anthropology, will teach English in the classroom in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and work on extracurricular activities open to the broader community that focus on English, according to the release.

In addition, Mercer University senior Mayah Waltower was selected for the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program, according to a news release. After she graduates from Mercer, she will serve as a an Assistant English Language Teacher for at least a year.

“I am thankful for this opportunity because I recognize that living abroad is one of the most formative experiences you can have in life,” Waltower said. “Being a part of the JET program means I get to share language, culture and life abroad with other students and teachers. The fact that I will get to teach English while also learning Japanese is very exciting.”