A group of high school students recently had the thrill of seeing their invention improve the life of someone they love: their teacher’s golden retriever, Bentley!
Ashley Liberto asked students at Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina to use the school’s 3D imaging equipment to make a prosthetic limb for Bentley after he lost his leg to cancer in 2022.
“I can’t imagine my life without him,” Ashley said of her normally energetic 8-year-old canine.
Bentley was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma after his elbow became swollen and sore. His front right leg was amputated to save his life, an experience Ashley described as “nerve-racking, scary” and “emotional.”
Bentley is now healthy and still loves all of his usual activities, but he gets tired easily with only three legs. So Ashley brought him in to meet the school’s 3D printing students, and they were excited to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
Senior Brandon Hollis lead a team of students in designing a harness attached to a prosthetic limb for Bentley. Brandon said it was nice to have a project that would improve someone’s life.
“We were working on simple stuff like keychains, this was a very massive leap,” said Brandon.
Bentley took to his new limb with ease, and the students were proud to see their work put to such practical, real-life use.
“Just seeing Bentley walk into class and seeing the very real impact this project was going to have was really something special,” Brandon said.
Bentley is currently using a temporary limb, but the final prototype will be ready in a few weeks. Ashley is very happy that her students stepped up in such a huge way to improve her best friend’s quality of life.
“Students are amazing,” she said. “They have such an imagination. They want to do big things In life.”
Happy trails, Ashley and Bentley! These students really got a taste of what it’s like to be true innovators. Well done!
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