By Mitchell Sasser | WeINSPIRE Reporter 

HARRISONBURG, Va. - As of April 8, there are 3,645 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Virginia. With hospitals across the United States seeing an influx of patients, many health care items, like masks, are becoming scarce. 

In the midst of this pandemic, one hero, without a cape but with a set of 3D printers, decided to take action for his community in Prince William County that has a confirmed 263 cases.   

 Like many across the education sector, Carlos Castro of Woodbridge Senior High School in Prince William County, VA. has been impacted by the spread of COVID-19. Mr. Castro began his tenure as an educator in 2007 and serves specifically in technology education.

When Castro saw that there were people who needed masks, he knew that he had to take action. “You’re seeing news stories where more and more hospitals are running out,” Castro said. “They’re saying that medical facilities and responders can’t get the stuff we all take for granted, like basic shields, face masks or gloves. How is that possible? We have an amazing industrial base, one of the richest countries on this planet, and we are running out of the basic necessities that we just didn’t anticipate?”

 Using a 3-D printer, Castro tried his hand at creating a mask. After posting his first mask on Facebook, the buzz and excitement he encountered encouraged him to explore continuing to make masks. Castro looked at stories of other people experimenting with 3D printing, and with some research, found a lightweight mask that he wanted to produce. Castro credits his mask design to the people online who helped demonstrate how to create a mask.

 “It’s almost like a thousand, 10 thousand, a million minds working together to come up with something that can be effective and made quickly,” Castro said.

 It takes five and a half hours to make just one mask. Castro started a GoFundMe page to help create the mask. His original goal was $3,000. As of April 7, Castro has raised $3,175, and purchased two more printers to make masks.

With 12 printers each printing two masks every 10 hours, Castro can make up to 280 masks total in a week.

 “If we have people who will take 200 masks a week, we have the capacity now,” Castro said.

 “It is humbling, to see that the Woodbridge community and community in general have stepped up, Castro said. “I’m dumbfounded, humbled, and I will try not to let them down.”

Castro understands that the medical community is apprehensive about using masks that are not N95 compliant. In the case that a medical worker encounters someone with COVID-19, it is necessary for their mask to function appropriately. 

 “I appreciate the fact that we have to make these [masks] right,” Castro said. “Right now, that’s what is holding our first delivery to any medical facilities, the fact that we need to find a systematic approach that they can follow from an instruction set.”

However, the masks don’t necessarily have to go to medical facilities. Castro said that in Prince William County, many students rely on free and reduced lunch, and that it’s not just an education building, but a network for students to get connected to their peers and social services. With the closure, many students could go without food.

Luckily, Castro said that Prince William County has “stepped up,” and has several distribution points at various schools with people handing out food. On April 6, Governor Ralph Northam advised that all Virginians wear masks when they are outside.   

 “We have people who are on the front lines making sure students are fed, and they may not have masks handy,” Castro said. “We’ll make sure that we’ll start covering at least our own employees within the county to make sure they are doing their job.”

Prince William County Public School Food Service has received 50 masks and 25 face shields from Castro, and Prince William County Police has received 250 of the face mask buckles.  

All it took for Castro to take action was a passion to help and a 3D printer. At WeINSPIRE, we appreciate all those individuals stepping up in their communities to help those in need.