(upbeat jazzy music) (upbeat jazzy music continues) - Well, the tiny printing press is related to a project we did previously, which is we developed tiny printing press with activity guides that were then distributed to over 200 schools in the state, and the thought was that for those care facilities and schools that have a pen pal program, for instance, they could print postcards, stuff like this, off of a tiny print press and be in touch with one another.

(ladies chattering) This was a model that was done in Europe developing these tiny print presses, which are made by 3D printers, so they're very inexpensively made, but very durable.

What we did with the school, NDSU, is we worked with their department and said, "Okay, some of the people we work with have physical limitations.

How can we change the design of a tiny print press to make it more accessible, to be able to be used effectively with people who have mobility issues?"

(upbeat jazzy music continues) - I love the design of these presses.

Part of what I love about it is that it's absolutely a functional item.

- You got it.

(ladies chattering) - So the first step is, is that we will get our hardware, different components, 3D printed, and then I will assemble components in stages.

(bright music) (bright energetic music) (bright energetic music continues) And everybody, when they first see the tiny press, everyone has to turn the handle because it's such an engaging piece of technology.

- We first started working with the North Dakota Council on the Arts and the Art for Life Program through a project that used the tiny press as a way to move through different folk art curriculum, and then what we would do is take that curriculum that we develop, move it into elder care facilities and schools as a way of both teaching that as an art form, also working with printmaking, and then there was also sort of intergenerational component where we would think about how can we use this as an object that can bring people together.

The endangered species field guide is sort of a fun twist on the project because it allows us to play with something that is almost like a collection process where visitors to zoos or people who engage with the field notes, they get to go and see some of those animals and then use the press as a way to sort of engage with something like a paw print or go ahead and print sort of a version of that animal or a sketch of that animal.

- We identified the endangered species at each of the four zoos, so I reached out to the other zoo directors.

We have four zoos in North Dakota, and they were happy to give their list of endangered species, and then we sent that to those helping with the field guide and wanted to showcase some things.

Sometimes people don't think that North Dakota has these species.

It's just a wonderful way to involve everyone in this fabulous project.

- Today was the tiny printing press with the endangered species.

- [Staff] It's pretty neat.

- [Sara] We had the zoo come in and talk about the different animals at the zoo and some of the endangered ones, and then NDSU explained the tiny printing press, and then the kids and the tenants got to operate the printing press.

The interaction between the students and the tenants was great.

The intergenerational learning between the two is phenomenal.

You have the residents that when they start talking, their eyes light up, they start to smile.

Some people who are withdrawn when they see a kid and the kids start interacting, they come out of their shell, and they express their feelings and communicate better with the kids than they do with say, you or I.

- Who doesn't love working with or seeing animals.

When you bring together art that is then also connected to animal presentations and interaction with animals and interaction between elders and kids, the room just lights up.

- The residents have become our friends through the years.

It's more than just visiting and talking about the zoo or giving enrichment.

We always say if the seniors and the kids get half as much out of it as we do, it's a win.

To bring that full circle when those kids came in, sat at the tables with the seniors right away, didn't hesitate, very friendly, both ways, and to watch the seniors and the children work together with the tiny printing press, with the animal plates in there and making cards and making pictures, and smiling, and laughing.

- And we keep finding that it's this funny little objects that we can move into these different settings, and it's really flexible.

All it is, is a tool that makes prints, but when you start to imagine it as a tool to engage people and a tool that can be used to help form connections, all of a sudden, its application becomes really broad.

- While I think this project really has potential to become a model, not just in our state, but in many other states, North Dakota is seen as a national model for art and creative aging, but then you also see the children, like we did today, helping the elder and asking advice for the elder.

You know, it shows that goodness, I think, that interaction between generations.

- [Presenter] Funded by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.