Engineering Inclusive Play

Every child deserves the freedom to play, explore, and join in with their peers. However, standard commercial ride-on toys lack the custom controls, seating adaptations, and electronic interfaces needed by children with mobility challenges.

JoyRyde bridges that gap through custom-engineered, switch-adapted ride-on platforms.

What This Fundraiser Powers

Please note: Individual finished JoyRyde vehicles gifted to specific children are sponsored through separate, dedicated child-sponsorship campaigns. This campaign directly funds the underlying R&D, tools, and training engine that makes those custom builds possible.

Your contribution directly funds:

Research & Development: Testing new high-torque motor controllers, custom steering mechanisms, adaptive joystick interfaces, and seating modifications.
Student Engineering & Training: Equipping high school builders with hands-on concept-to-product training, prototyping supplies, and 3D printing filament.
Prototyping & Workshop Tools: Specialized electronics, heavy-duty battery systems, wiring harnesses, and fabrication tools used in our build lab.
Student Tooling & Ownership Reward: Investing in the 3D printers, fabrication tools, and electronics equipment our high school engineers use to build adaptive rideables.

Investing in Student Builders

To honor the exceptional dedication of our youth engineers, students who demonstrate sustained commitment and outstanding engineering leadership on the JoyRyde project can earn full ownership of the 3D printer or specialized tooling equipment they work with—awarded upon recommendation by team mentors and leadership. Your support directly equips and rewards the next generation of empathetic innovators.

Impact Tiers

$50 — Funds adaptive joystick components and switch-interface prototyping.
$100 — Covers power systems, drive controllers, and wiring test kits.
$250 — Sponsors specialized shop tooling, frame modification supplies, and motor testing rigs.
$750 — Fully sponsors an R&D development cycle and student training workshop module.

Youth Innovation, Guided by Mentors

JoyRyde is a flagship initiative under Cherokee Makerspace's First Foundations program.

Students on our FIRST Robotics teams (Firestorm and Frostbite) design, prototype, and refine each system under the supervision and mentorship of experienced adult engineers.

When you donate to this campaign, you are investing in the research, infrastructure, and student talent needed to continuously innovate adaptive technology for our community.

Thank you for supporting inclusive play and youth engineering!

The JoyRyde Story

JoyRyde

Funding the R&D, engineering tools, and youth training to develop custom adaptive rideables for local kids.