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Engineering Students Create Custom Device To Help Kindergartner With Limb Difference

May 2, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

A heartwarming partnership is bringing new hope and independence to a young kindergartner, thanks to the compassion of a school counselor and the ingenuity of engineering students at Old Dominion University.

Taelor Reynolds / WAVY TV 10 on YouTube

Taelor Reynolds, a student at New Castle Elementary School, was born with amniotic band syndrome, a condition that resulted in limb differences in both of her hands. At just six years old, she has already undergone eight surgeries. Despite the challenges she faces daily, her mother, Traci Reynolds, says she’s incredibly strong.

“She’s a trooper,” Traci shared. “The last surgery that she had in August was an actual finger rotation, so that now she has a pincher grasp on her right hand. She is a twin also. So I think it’s hard for her seeing that her sister can do things that is either impossible for her or way more challenging for her.”

Taelor doesn’t currently use prosthetics and often struggles with everyday tasks, but she has a strong support system—including school counselor Kimberly Logsdon.

“It’s really heartbreaking at times, because even though we feel it internally and we see that there are differences, that maybe she doesn’t have the same opportunities that other kids have,” Logsdon said.

Motivated by Taelor’s resilience, Logsdon took action. During a campus tour of Old Dominion University with her son, she noticed a prosthetic device in a lab and had an idea. She approached the university’s engineering students with the hope that they could create a custom device for Taelor as part of their year-end project.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we can maybe get this device that Taelor needs,’” Logsdon recalled. “And that would really help her out.” The students agreed—and even connected her with an organization focused on supporting children with special needs.

Now, a dedicated team of ODU engineering students is working to design a personalized prosthetic solution. After taking measurements, they’re building prototypes that could significantly improve Taelor’s quality of life. Their goal is to finish the project by the end of summer.

“So she has one pointer finger on that hand,” Traci explained. “Right now, they’re going to add additional fingers, so that she’s able to grasp things, silverware, things like that. Right now using the restroom is one of her biggest obstacles. They’re going to actually make a toileting tool so that she can do it on her own.”

Watch the video below: