Startup program wants to inspire new generation of engineers

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - Printers 4 Kidz is a startup that wants to inspire young engineers in the Charlottesville area.

Founder Zackary Landsman collects discarded printers to repurpose them into small windmill kits to teach students about the importance of building with sustainable materials.

“I went through all of college, I never learned about sustainable design. As an engineer creating things, you should really know the waste that you make. So now we have 24 high school students trying out our kits,” Landsman said.

He teamed up with two Western Albemarle High school seniors to bring kits to the school.

“Arguably, the most fun part of it is seeing the unique approach that everyone takes into building their own turbines,” Landsman said.

Students use things like printer motors, cereal boxes, and screws to create energy.

“They construct it, they add it to the motor,” Landsman said. “They actually come up with their own designs for the blades out of out of recycled cardboard.”

This all started from a $30,000 grant from the UVA Jefferson Trust.

The end goal is to have kits in all classrooms across the area.

“I’m really hoping to bring this to more schools,” Landsman said.

You can contact Landsman here junklabtech@gmail.com

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