English language learners at Carroll County High School were recognized in a small classroom ceremony celebrating their academic progress. Instead of traditional certificates, students received something more hands-on and memorable: colorful, custom-designed 3D tokens marking each level they had completed in their English program.
The tokens, created to recognize students as they move through different levels of an online English language program called Neo, were the brainchild of English Language Learners (ELL) teacher Cheri Mann. The Neo platform evaluates students' skills and guides them through individualized learning in listening, speaking, reading, and writing English. As students pass each level they build fluency and confidence, Mann said.
“I just thought they needed something they could hold in their hands, something that says, ‘You did it,’” Mann explained. “A piece of paper gets shoved in a folder or lost. These tokens feel like a real achievement. They’re a symbol of their growth.”
Each token is roughly the size of a Dungeons & Dragons game piece, personalized with the level a student has reached. And they aren’t just cool to look at, they were designed by student Edwin Rodriguez, who’s been studying engineering and 3D design for the past three years at iLEAD Academy.
“When she first reached out, I was kind of honored,” Edwin said. “She had confidence in me to make it. It was cool to know she trusted me.”
Mann provided Edwin with a reference image and a list of the levels, and he used Fusion 360, a 3D design software, to build the tokens. “Once I made the first one, I could replicate the rest pretty easily,” he said. “I adjusted the spacing for the different words and exported the files.”
The Henry County Public Library allows patrons to print on a multi-color 3D printer, and produced the 114 tokens over the course of three weeks. Each one features letters that contrast with the base color, making the accomplishments pop both visually and symbolically.
“I wanted something that motivates them to keep going,” Mann said. “And it worked. I had a girl pass a level while we were still waiting on the tokens to be printed. I hadn’t even ordered that one yet because I didn’t think anyone would get there that fast.”
The tokens were unveiled during a small classroom ceremony. Students beamed as they received their tokens, proudly displaying the colorful badges that represent not just language growth, but persistence and pride.
“Omar told me, ‘It’s better than a piece of paper,’” Mann said with a smile. “And I agree.”
For Edwin, the experience was more than just a school project. “I think the students will be proud of what they’ve earned,” he said. “It’s kind of like getting a medal in sports. You start at the bottom and work your way up and now they have something to show for it.”
As students continue to progress through the program, Mann is ready with more tokens and more encouragement. One student is even on track to complete all the levels before graduation, and Mann has promised to let her choose the colors for the final two tokens.
“I’ve been dreaming of doing this since I attended a session on 3D printing back in 2019,” Mann said. “It took six years, a pandemic, and the right student with the right skills. But it finally happened and it was worth the wait.”
(Photos courtesy of Cheri Mann.)
