QUEENS — Families from Central Queens will get to play "mini-mini" golf while learning about 3-D printing technology during a free event held at a Rego Park school this Sunday, the organizers said.
Nineteen teams from various elementary and middle schools across the city spent 12 to 16 weeks designing even-smaller-than-usual miniature golf holes using SketchUp software and then turned their ideas into reality with 3-D printers.
Made on top of pieces of wood measuring 20 inches by 8 inches, and featuring different themes, from Pokemon to "Alice in Wonderland," each small-scale hole includes numerous challenges for players.
During the event, locals will be invited to play using tiny clubs which were also designed by kids.
The goal, the organizers said, is to promote creativity among students in the neighborhood, while educating them about the latest technology in a fun setting.
“It’s a way for us to get the public in to kind of see this amazing technology, to engage with it and to have fun," said Yvonne Shortt, executive director of the Rego Park Green Alliance Studio, the nonprofit that organizes the event and teaches 3-D printing techniques in local schools.
"And it's also a way to get these 19 teams who spent weeks designing this stuff to show what they’ve done," Shortt added.
Photo: Courtesy of RPGA Studio
The best golf hole will receive an award, the organizers said.
Participants will also be asked to write a paragraph about the golf hole they liked best and the author of the most persuasive description will receive a $50 gift card as well as a $250 gift card for the school he or she attends.
Shortt said the organizers chose extra-mini golf holes for the students to work on because “it’s really fun and you can basically take them anywhere.”
“It also requires patience, focus and critical thinking to get your golf ball from the first to the last spot,” she said.
The event will take place in the auditorium of P.S. 175 at 64-35 102nd St. in Rego Park on Sun., May 21, from noon to 2 p.m. It's free and open to the public.
