**MV Teens – Workshop – NJIT Makerspace – March 15, 2025**

For the first time in Marathi Vishwa’s history, a groundbreaking workshop was organized exclusively for MV teens in collaboration with New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), a premier technology college in NJ. This event provided an exciting and immersive experience in cutting-edge technology. MV would like to extend a special thank you to our community member Dr. Ashish Borgaonkar for his support and valuable guidance in making this workshop a reality.

A total of 21 enthusiastic teens enrolled in this fun yet challenging event. The day began with a guided tour of NJIT’s state-of-the-art Makerspace facility, followed by a 90-minute hands-on workshop. Ashish Borgaonkar, Ph. D. (Assistant Professor of Engineering Education and Director of the NCE Grand Challenges Scholar Program at NJIT) addressed the participants and parents, providing valuable insights about the college, its programs, and the facility. Under the expert guidance of two NJIT staff members, participants had the unique opportunity to design and build their own gliders. Working in smaller groups, they carefully crafted and refined their designs before printing the gliders on 3D Printer.

The highlight of the event was the glider flying competition, where teams tested their creations and made aerodynamic adjustments to optimize flight distance. The winners were awarded NJIT-engraved 3D-printed trophies in recognition of their engineering skills.

The event concluded with a pizza social, providing a platform for participants and parents to connect and share their experiences. Many parents expressed their appreciation for this initiative, encouraging MV to organize more STEM-focused events for high schoolers.

This event was led by Dipti Karkhanis and Salil Parkar. MV President Mandar Kelkar was present to Cheer on the participants and engage in meaningful discussions with parents. Each participant received a certificate of completion, presented by the MV President.

Marathi Vishwa is proud to have launched this innovative workshop and will try to bring many different workshops for our community’s youth with your help.