Hi! My name is Viva, and I’m a Junior at Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies.

The middle school I attended was located in a low-income community and was known for its low funding. A year before I joined, my county created a gifted specialty program hosted at this school with the hope of the program improving average test scores and, consequently, state-provided funding. As well intended as the program was, I realized its counterproductive nature when many of my friends outside the center on my robotics team, which was funded by the specialty program, were forced to quit because including them limited resources designated for the students within the program.

I realized that instead of encouraging the non-center students to engage in academics, the center was exacerbating the lack of resources and attention given to low-income areas. This limited advancement into higher studies and future career paths, perpetuating the cycle.   

In an effort to reduce this resource gap within schools like mine, I created MathRemodelEd, where I create 3D-printed models of interactive classroom tools – whether it be an air puck to test collisions or cell models to understand organelles – that replicate expensive classroom experiences at an inexpensive price.

Whether it’s the math models or the 3D-printed resources, I hope MathRemodelEd inspires you to learn beyond the limitations imposed by the education system. Every student deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background. I hope that MathRemodelEd pushes you to believe that growth outside traditional boundaries is achievable.