Hi Phil,
Maybe...the kids would scrounge up skateboard wheels to try. Tell them gotta be the wider ones, I think they get close to 2" width. No contact wheel, but maybe there's enough possibilities to set up a flat platen. I've never done it, but it may be near free in cost to try.
If you don't mind, I was curious about which schools offered the blacksmithing classes. No big deal, it just seems that many of the shop or trade type classes are falling by the wayside, and it's too bad.
Good luck with the project, Craig