Student video director Sophia Mittelman, left, watches the monitor as classmate Hannah Lacey pretends to cough as the students make a video at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. In yellow hazmat suits are, from left, Jasmina Abu Ghosh, Stella Belluomini, Hana Ahmad and Tara Fancy. The students are part of Reed Union School District's Girls Engineering Team that is working on educating students throughout the school district and Marin residents about the Coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Scarlett Collier traces out a real hazmat suit to use as pattern to make other suits at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. The Reed Union School District girls' engineering team is making protective gear for coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Del Mar Middle School student Sadi Saavedra shapes a protective mask in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. The Reed Union School District girls' engineering team is making protective gear for coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)



Teacher Nate MacDonald talks with students wearing hazmats suits while they prepare to make a video educating students throughout the school district and Marin residents about the Coronavirus at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Sophia Mittleman wears a hazmat mask for an instructional video at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. Mittleman is part of Reed Union School District girls' engineering team that is working on educating students about the coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Del Mar Middle School student Sadi Saavedra helps classmate Stella Belluomini with her hazmat suit for a video in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. Saavedra and Belluomini are part of Reed Union School District project to educate students about the coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)



Teacher Nate MacDonald talks with students wearing hazmatssuits while they prepare to make a video about the coronavirus at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Teacher Nate MacDonald gives instruction as students lay out material to make hazmat suits at Del Mar Middle School in Tiburon on March 4, 2020. The Reed Union School District girls' engineering team is making protective gear for coronavirus. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal)

Amid the coronavirus scare, a group of Del Mar Middle School students is using 3D printers, laser cutters and the skills they learned in class to help health professionals prevent the spread of infection.

“We were worried that if it came to the U.S. there would be a shortage of materials like polypropylene masks,” said Nathaniel MacDonald, a computer aided design teacher and adviser for the girls’ engineering team. “So we immediately ordered materials that were available then so we can get them out to health officials.”

Twenty girls in sixth and seventh grades have been meeting before school, at lunch and on the weekends to make prototype N95 masks and hazmat suits for nurses, doctors and patients who might be infected.

To make the masks, students are using three laser cutters to cut fabric and polypropylene while also crafting nose clips using three 3D printers.

Hannah Lacey, a sixth grader, was gluing the clips onto the masks early Wednesday morning before school.

“I’m only 12 and I don’t feel like getting a bad virus,” Hannah said. “I worry about what it’ll do to my lungs if I have it. Some people take it as a joke but it’s not funny because a bunch of people died from it.”

MacDonald said the girls will be making 500 masks and about a dozen hazmat suits. He said they will be offered to local health workers who lack the gear.

While health care workers in Marin have supplies now, there could be a shortfall if the virus spreads, said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County public health officer.

“This project is a great example of showing that all of us have a part to play in responding to this epidemic,” Willis said. “I completely applaud what they are doing, but we have to go through the usual process of verifying the quality and gain authorization to use anything not coming through our normal supply channels.”

MacDonald said he has reached out to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to get the guidelines and specifications for making N95 masks.

“We have been using the same materials that the N95 masks are made out of,” he said. “But we may not be able to get them certified in a timely fashion. Our hope is that all health workers will be able to get a certified mask and suit, but if they are not able to get one they may want ours rather than to go without.”

He said if healthcare workers are not allowed to use the masks or suits then they could be distributed to families.

Even though there are no confirmed cases among Marin residents, county health officials declared a local health emergency on Tuesday. This declaration follows an increase of confirmed coronavirus cases nationwide.

Stella Belluomini, a sixth grader, said she is concerned about her grandparents, who are residents of Kirkland, Washington. There have been several coronavirus deaths there, and older people and infants are more susceptible to the virus.

“More people have died of the flu, it has a higher percentage, but the coronavirus has a higher percentage of deaths — it’s just that less people get it,” she said.

MacDonald said the project is not meant to create more concern about the virus, but to help students, teachers and parents understand proper ways to prevent infection.

“You don’t need to wear a N95 mask and don’t need to wear hazmat suit,” he said. “It’s only if you have the virus or if you are treating somebody that you need one. We don’t want to create the misconception that everyone needs a mask.”

As part of the project, a video about how to prevent infection was directed and written by sixth grader Sophia Mittelman.

Sophia said she plays a person who is ignorant about the virus and Stella is an expert explaining the virus’ origin, how to prevent infection and what gear to wear.

“It’s exciting,” Sophia said. “But I’m nervous about being on TV.”

MacDonald said he expects the video to be ready by next week.

Brian Lynch, the principal of Del Mar, said that if the video is approved, it will be shown to students during extended homeroom.

Lynch said it’s remarkable what these girls are doing.

“The coronavirus has become more prolific on news before midwinter break,” Lynch said. “And it’s great to see these girls felt compelled to help and did not hesitate when called to action.”

Nancy Lynch, superintendent of the Reed Union School District, agrees.

“I love when students are geared toward solving real world problems and issues using creativity and research to move forward and create things that have a purpose — that’s amazing,” she said.