- February 18, 2025
Yashoda Sandoval sits next to her dog, Champ, as he tests out a "J" hook paw on his new prosthetic leg. Photo by Jacque Estes
Emily Morris, a student in the i3 Academy, adjusts the body strap that attaches the prosthetic leg to Champ. Photo by Jacque Estes
David Zolodnek (red shirt) pets Champ as the dog patiently allows the students to make adjustments to the prosthetic leg. Photo by Jacque Estes
Jonathan Germano, Mason Jackson, and Neko Fileca were part of the 'Super Team" that created the prosthetic leg with interchangeable paws for Champ. Photo by Jacque Estes
i3 teacher Courtney VandeBunte talks with Chad Mohrbacher, Katelyn Mumma and Emily Morris about their design. Photo by Jacque Estes
Diane Dyer, curriculum director for Flagler Schools, talks with Genesis Guzman Davila and Hazel Gonzalez about their part in the design of a prosthetic leg for Champ. Photo by Jacque Estes
Champ, a German shepherd, lost his left front leg in a car accident. The i3 Academy students in Courtney VandeBunte's class are trying to fit him with a prosethic leg created from a 3D printer. Photo by Jacque Estes
Champ, a three-legged German Shepherd, showed incredible patience and good nature as the students in Courtney VandeBunte's Anatomy and Drawing class, at the FPC i3 Academy, performed the first fittings of his new prosthetic leg on Monday, April 4.
Since having his front left leg amputated at the shoulder following a car accident, Champ has adapted to three legs. He demonstrated this by jumping up, licking, and greeting everyone in the roomful of students, school administration, and reporters.
Jim Bowe, president of Arrow Rehabilitation, and a member of the Flagler Education Foundation, spoke with the students, who had set up stations showing their parts in the process.
“We helped the kids with the design of it, and offered the kids our feedback from a therapist standpoint with prosthetics, because we do a lot of splinting and prosthetic work.” Bowe said. “They invited us to be on the panel.”
Bowe was particularly interested in the padded shoulder cup, how it was going to fit onto the dog's shoulder, and work with the prosthetic.
Owners David Zolondek and Yashoda Sandoval watched as their dog basked in the attention, even when the attention involved fitting and adjusting the foreign contraption to his body. Champ's initial attempts to walk on four legs were awkward.
“He obviously gets along well (on three legs),” VandeBunte said. “Despite his agility, it puts an unnecessary amount of pressure on his shoulder. This will result in wear and tear as he ages.”
The students were set up in two classrooms, ready to explain their processes.
“They started out in separate groups, but decided to work together, and formed a “super group,” which consisted of making a super prosthetic with interchangeable parts,” VandeBunte said.
VandeBunte said the goal is to have the final leg/harness design completed by this summer.
