3d printer for Middle School Class

I teach STEM at a middle school in Stockton California called Peyton Elementary. In our class we have been delving into coding with multiple languages, engineering lego robots and striving towards 3d printing to supplement parts for our robot. The only problem is that our 3d printer has seen better days (it’s 8 years old). I educate my students that problems are key to the engineering design process, but sometimes problems may be too large for our skill level. Our malfunctioning 3d printer is one of those problems, the students have disassembled and reassembled the 3d printer many times to no avail. I have bought parts that haven't helped as well and have run out of options to fix the printer. I do not want their efforts to be wasted which is why I am asking for funding for a new, fresh 3d printer where they do not have to worry about fixing it every day. My students made a statement about the predicament they are in below.

“We are a middle school technology elective class. Recently, our 3D printer, required to complete class projects, had broken down. A small group of students have been working on the printer for more than a month manually attempting to repair it, but have been unsuccessful. We are in need of a replacement printer, but have no classroom funds to purchase such. Your donation will help our productivity, classroom engagement, and creativity flourish.

We researched the best type of 3D printer for an educational setting, and came across the MakerBot SKETCH. Any and all donations are appreciated by the students.”

As my students stated, any and all donations are greatly appreciated and hopefully you can help a new generation of Scientists and Engineers develop new skills for decades to come.