糖心Vlog传媒

Presley was one of seven children with mobility issues, all under the age of 4, who were gifted with child-sized electric wheels Thursday. The cars were designed and built by students from Marshall Middle School, Franklin Middle School, Rock University High School, Parker High School, Craig High School and Arise Virtual Academy, as part of the GoBabyGo! Program.

It took the students more than six weeks to build the cars. This was the second year that GoBabyGo! was offered in 糖心Vlog传媒.

Working with the students to design and build the vehicles were engineers from SHINE Technologies, the GoBabyGo! program, Blain鈥檚 Farm & Fleet, and staff from United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County.

The electronic whine of the cars filled the conference center Thursday at Blain鈥檚 Farm & Fleet鈥檚 company headquarters in 糖心Vlog传媒, as the children enjoyed a new taste of independence.

In the midst of it all, middle and high school students gathered around tables, adjusting pieces on the cars as necessary with help from their teachers and a SHINE mentor.

鈥淕uided by Teachers and SHINE mentors they are helping others in one of the best ways possible 鈥� through the power of innovation.鈥� Cheryl Peterson, community and employee engagement manager at SHINE Technologies said, noting that there are four cars still available to Rock County-area children with mobility impairments.

Staci Becker said she was excited for her daughter, Emilia, to receive her GoBabyGo! car.

鈥淪he really wants to be up and moving around,鈥� Becker noted. 鈥淲e have six kids in the home, including her, and to be able to chase her siblings is going to be the best day ever for her.鈥�

GoBabyGo! is an international program open to anyone, founded at the University of Delaware. Matt Larsen, the executive director of the Illinois Spina Bifida Association, said it has delivered 160 cars since 2016.

鈥淭he age range between one and four is particularly important developmentally,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭o connect children from thought to movement is critical 鈥� so whether a child is curious, feeling adventurous, or feeling mischievous, we want them to have the ability to act on that thought 鈥� that emotion, and move themselves through space.鈥�

He said GoBabyGo! is what happens when you connect curious minds, innovation, generous people, and children in need.

鈥淭he positive effects from this collaboration will spread out into the community鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e so happy to be a part of all the organizations here who have come together to partner and to make it possible for children with disabilities to have independent mobility.鈥�

Blain鈥檚 Farm & Fleet provided the space Thursday and purchased the cars for the event.

鈥淢y heart is full this morning,鈥� Mark Hasting, CEO and president of Blain鈥檚 Farm & Fleet said. 鈥淲e are honored to be able to provide 11 new cars to help with mobility.鈥�

鈥淎s a parent, one of our primary roles is to build self-esteem in our children. I think being able to create the freedom that mobility gives our children is something that goes a long way in building self-esteem,鈥� Hasting continued.

Larsen said he hopes GoBabyGo! will continue for many years.

Customized for kids

The cars presented on Thursday were each customized to match the young recipients鈥� personalities and needs. One car was outfitted with a bubble blower and stickers.

Eric Hill, the SHINE Technologies mentor for Arise Virtual Academy and a radiological engineer, said 鈥渢hese little cars are going to teach these kids the controls that are going to allow them to be more cognizant with wheelchairs and scooters.鈥�

Hill said through the program, students also learned about engineering, and about science like the medical isotopes SHINE Technologies is working on also help identify and treat some of the underlying medical issues that can limit a person鈥檚 mobility.

SHINE engineers have been collaborating since January with students on the design and assembly of the cars.

Three seniors from Craig High School 鈥� Grace Mann, Miles McBride, and Macy Huber 鈥� said they enjoyed volunteering and giving back to the community.

鈥淚t sounded like a fun opportunity that our teacher, Mr. Udell, presented and we jumped on,鈥� Mann said. 鈥淗elping the community makes sense to us and this connects us to engineering,鈥� Mann added.

All three teens smiled when asked about their favorite part of the event. They said it was seeing kids light up when presented with the cars.

Thursday鈥檚 event ended with a parade. Adults and students waved flags and shouted encouraging whoops鈥� and cheers as the children were driven out via their parents and a remote control.

Some of the children laughed and clapped along with the crowd, while others quietly stared and shared a small smile.