Innovative Torrance high school student creates 'treadmill desk'

TORRANCE, Calif. - A high school student in Torrance created a "treadmill desk" to help other students get up and moving while distance learning.

Now, she’s teaching others how to build their own and is on a mission to promote a healthier living community with her innovation.

Mikaela Lippon’s senior year at South Torrance High was supposed to be different.

"I didn’t know it was going to be the beginning of the worst year of my life. I had so many plans with my friends. We all lost hope," Mikaela said.

Lippon found herself, like so many other students at home — distance learning.
 
"I would prop myself up on my bed using stuffed animals and I was just working from my bed and none of the teachers could really say anything. I got very lazy. I became super depressed sitting in my room from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. every day. I saw my dad taking a meeting and one of his coworkers was walking on a treadmill desk and I was like 'oh my gosh I can do that too!'" 
 
Then came an idea to take a skimboard and get to work.
 
With her father’s help, they grabbed the power tools and drilled away.

Lippon also partnered with the Beach Cities Health District to promote a healthier living community.
 
"They helped me advocate my message and helped me present in front of all these people. Partnering with a health organization during a worldwide pandemic was a bit of an obstacle, but I got through it, persevered, I was very persistent with them and they really appreciated that," she said. 
 
Lippon also decided to use her innovation for the Girl Scout Gold Award. 

"Before you graduate high school, you need to come up with a project that helps the community, show leadership and put in a lot of work for it to get the highest honor that a Girl Scout could ever receive," said Lippon.

To receive a Gold Award, one needs to work a minimum of 80 hours, but she exceeded that and logged in nearly 200 hours.

"I made videos on how to use and how to make it as well as a DIY pamphlet and posted it on my website that I created myself," she said. 
 
Lippon says building a simple treadmill desk will only cost you about $20 if you already have the tools and treadmill.

"I feel a lot happier, I am more confident, I lost 20 lbs.  I was very lazy and very unmotivated, the treadmill desk helped me feel more confident in myself and in what I can do," Mikaela said.

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