A 6-year-old girl from Waller ISD is very close to making a dream of hers come true, thanks to five students at HISD’s Booker T. Washington High School and a 3D printer.

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000Uoirf.PjEf0″ g_name=”20151102-Prosthetic” width=”600″ f_fullscreen=”t” bgtrans=”t” pho_credit=”iptc” twoup=”f” f_bbar=”t” f_bbarbig=”f” fsvis=”f” f_show_caption=”t” crop=”f” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_l=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”f” f_show_slidenum=”t” f_topbar=”f” f_show_watermark=”t” img_title=”casc” linkdest=”c” trans=”xfade” target=”_self” tbs=”5000″ f_link=”t” f_smooth=”f” f_mtrx=”t” f_ap=”t” f_up=”f” height=”400″ btype=”old” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” ]

The high-schoolers used the printer to build a prosthetic arm for Gracie Henderson over the past year, and they presented the completed device to the youngster on Nov. 2.

“We wanted to help her fulfill her dream of picking up an apple,” explained senior Leslie Cosme, who worked on the project. “I was very nervous before she first received the hand, but when I saw her face lite up, it made me really happy.”

[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3OysEsjbrs”]

“She’s had a prosthetic before, but nothing like what she has today,” added Gracie’s mother, Kathy Henderson. “She’ll have to learn how to use it, but knowing Gracie, she’ll learn it in no time. It’s amazing, because these students actually did it. I know Leslie was up here working at night and on weekends. And for a teenager to give up her time like that, when she could have been doing so much more…it really means a lot.”

Gracie, who said she was excited to receive the new prosthetic arm, liked the different colored strings used on the device. “It feels good,” she noted.

“Booker T. Washington is one of the best-kept secrets in HISD,” added Principal Carlos Phillips II. “We’re trying to give back to the community. This project made (Gracie’s) day and brightened ours as well.”