MegaTech Students Modify Toys to Help Kids

Published: 05/19/2023

Students from the pilot year of the MegaTech program delivered toys, which they adapted as part of their class, to the St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center. The toys will be distributed to young patients with developing motor skills.

MegaTech introduces dual-enrolled high school students to advanced manufacturing and mechatronics The program also addresses workforce needs and gives students a pathway to start their education at SCC.

As a service-learning component to the class, working with Switched Adaptive Toys brought meaning to concepts they are learning in class, like electrical/electronics, soldering, engineering, lean manufacturing and problem solving.  

The students in the MegaTech program are all high school students who attend through an agreement with the Wentzville School District. High school Seniors, Deavin, Kevin, and Trevor were just a few from the class that had a part in this extensive project.

“The class worked through the project with an assembly line,” said Kevin. “This allows for each student to specialize in a certain area of the design and construction.”

 “It took a lot of trial and error in testing the design,” said Deavin, “But ultimately, they were able to modify all 30 toys to be perfectly functioning Switched toys.”

The Switched Adaptive Toy program brings together physical and occupational therapists with technical programs and students to adapt certain toys to better serve children with disabilities and their families.

While this was just one of the many projects worked on in the MegaTech program, Trevor said, “The Switched Toys project was everyone’s favorite because of the collaboration and the ability to give back to the community.”