Members of the 2024 Edgewood Middle School GoBabyGo! program pose with toddlers and their families. InkFreeNews photo by Patrick Webb.

By Patrick Webb
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Toddlers and their families visited Edgewood Middle School on Thursday, March 14, to try out modified vehicles as part of the school’s GoBabyGo! program.

According to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, GoBabyGo! is a program that modifies ride-on cars for children with disabilities to provide mobile independence. “GoBabyGo!” was started by University of Delaware Professor Cole Galloway. According to the University of Delaware’s “GoBabyGo!” website, there are over 40 groups using the name in the US and around the world.

Edgewood Engineering/Robotics/STEM coach Abbi Richcreek is the sponsor for Edgewood’s program. She first learned of GoBabyGo! when she heard Galloway speak at an engineering convention.

“(Galloway) spoke about how we can do affordable ways of helping toddlers be independent and it really caught my attention,” said Richcreek. “I was very impressed with something that I could do now, rather then always talk about in the future, or some other place or some other time.”

Richcreek wrote grant proposals to start the program in Kosciusko County. Edgewood’s GoBabyGo! chapter has operated for six years. She estimates that by April 2024, they will have modified 26 Jeeps for toddlers, with a minimum of 16 students involved each year.

Richcreek said the goal is that toddlers can enter and drive the vehicles by themselves. The Jeeps are modified to include remote controls so that parents can assist with any obstacles.

“We’re trying to get the toddlers excited to be able to play with everyone else,” Richcreek said.

“I have some very good community partners that are engineers. They come in and dedicate their time to our students,” Richcreek said. One to four engineers work with separate teams of three Edgewood students to work with and mentor throughout the process.

“I also have a volunteer, a physical therapist, and he makes sure we are modifying to the toddler’s needs. Making sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” Richcreek said.

Richcreek said the first part of the process is the teams meet and interview the families. The vehicles are free for families, paid for by grants and donations, Richcreek said. Families come from Joe’s Kids and Warsaw Community Schools’ Special Services Department.

Richcreek described the “GoBabyGo!” project as a “win-win for everyone.”

“The professionals are working with our youth. Our youth are serving toddlers who need help and we hope that they get this help and become more independent and they have fun doing so,” said Richcreek.

Edgewood’s GoBabyGo! chapter helps students practice skills for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students help to install the gas pedal and steering wheels, along with electrical work such as sensory lights.

Richcreek said the hope is that students will want to become engineers. She also said the program wouldn’t be possible without the engineers volunteering.

“This exemplifies (the) theme of our school, as we’re a STEM school,” said Richcreek. “Not only are we helping others, but we’re using our engineering and hands-on skills and applying it and get to see the end result.”

The March 14 visit is a “try it night,” Richcreek said, “to make sure the modifications they’re making and in the process of making are spot-on.”

After the try it night, the teams will finish working on the vehicles and make modifications. The families will participate on Friday, April 19, in a 40 minute driving event at Warsaw’s Third Fridays event. Afterwards, the families will take the vehicles home.