Central High students 3D-print braille signs to help blind classmate — and earn college credit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Inside the halls of historic Central High School, one student's struggle sparked a project that turned compassion into innovation.

Joshua Lewis, a sophomore at Central, has glaucoma, a condition that causes pressure in the eye and can lead to vision loss. He said, until recently, getting around the school was often overwhelming.

"It was hectic before, and I would get lost," Lewis said. "Before the braille signs, I was taught how to navigate the entire building."

That frustration caught the attention of Chris Brown, a teacher in the school's STEM magnet program.

"I saw Josh in the hall, and he looked very frustrated," Brown said. "So any time one of our kids has a problem, we always check on them, make sure they're OK. And he was like 'I can't find my way around.' I said 'Well, what do you need?' And he said, 'I need things with braille.'"

That conversation quickly grew into a hands-on mission. Students began designing and 3D-printing braille room signs to help Lewis and other visually impaired classmates.

"The printers were working all day long, 24 hours a day," Brown said. "It was a quick week-long project, but they had to design each sign and then add braille. It's real-world experience — and they're helping somebody."

When Principal Tamela Compton saw students at work, she realized it was more than just another assignment.

"When I went into the STEM lab, that's when it hit me," Compton said. "They weren't just doing signs. They were mobility-based signs, and they were using braille. And when I asked 'Who thought of it?' They said 'the kids.'"

Compton said the project reflects Central's strong sense of community.

"It really just shows the community that's here at Central High School," she said. "We truly believe that we are a family. And when one person succeeds, we all succeed."

For Lewis, the signs have done more than just make the school easier to navigate.

"I'd like to say thank you," he said. "This was a lot of help. And thank you for helping my anxiety levels go way down during times where I leave at the bell, not five minutes before."

Students also earned college credit for their work — and they're not done yet. Their next project will focus on designing tools to help people living with arthritis.

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