Searcy (LP)  At any high school there are always teenagers with ADHD, ADD, or anxiety disorders, and it can be hard for students to focus while teachers are giving lectures.  So Searcy High School took some interest in a new worldwide trend, fidget spinners.  These devices are handheld plastic spinners that can give students something to do with their hands.  There are many different kinds including ones that can be held by one hand, and spun with a middle or index finger, some that do not have a fixed center to where you need to hold them, and even ones that look like ninja stars.  Each different spinner can come in different colors.

Searcy High School’s East Program received new 3D printers in February, and has been putting them to great use. A few students joined together and decided to print the new trend using their class printer. EAST Class Teacher, Mrs. Kay Carpenter says that, “I had a student with a fidget that ADD, and he showed me him fidget, and then I had a group of EAST students who wanted to do a project that would let them do some 3D printing, but also be of benefit to other people. So their idea was to make the fidgets and give them to the Special Ed students, but they haven’t gotten that far yet because they became so popular that students just wanted to buy them.”  The project became a success when the first was printed.  Each student can print these, but only a few take the time to.  Mrs. Carpenter tells that the main students, “Drew Vest and Connor Collins were the original students that started the fidget project. They trained and learned how to use our 3D printers, and then just other students have started to take interest in the project.”   On Amazon each fidget spinner can cost around one to ten dollars, but the East program makes them and sells them for cheaper.  Carpenter tells exactly that, “The bearings cost about 50 cents each, but the filament hasn’t really been broken down because we got a bunch of the filament at a reduced price.  But it’s probably around a couple of dollars.”  The most interesting part of the fidgeters is that they can be easily obtained by anyone who wants one.  Sophomore EAST student, Drew Vests tells for students to obtain one, “They can contact Connor Collins and tell them the color of fidget body they want, and pay the amount needed for bearings (2 bearings for a dollar).”

Overall, this is a great project for students to do to help out the high school.  The 3D printing of these makes the project especially interesting because students can easily chill out their nerves with a simple and multi-use device.  These spinners can also be used by those who don’t use them for medical purposes. Vest says that, “I use mine in class when I’ve had a stressful day or when I’m hyper, it helps negate the need to tap my pencil or feet.”  This trend can be beneficial for all students, so get out there and buy yourself a fidget.