When I talk about what school I go to, to people who have never heard of ARS, I would say the word failure is said many times. My years at Ann Richards has been very hard per se. This year, I have come across many failures. There were times when I wanted to leave ARS. I felt hopeless and frustrated. But, I got through those bad days and kept pushing myself to succeed.

When I applied  to Ann Richards in 5th grade I wasn’t accepted. I was, honestly quite sad. I didn’t want to attend my home middle school. My 6th grade year I tried my best to keep my grades up. Then in the fall I re-applied to Ann Richards and got accepted. Even though I failed, I kept trying. I could’ve easily given up. This was one of the first times that I had kept trying and persevered. Usually, I just give up. I soon learned after coming to this school that I needed to keep going.

This year, in PLTW I can say that I’ve failed many times. I have had times when my project didn’t work and I wanted to throw it in the trash. For example, when we did the prosthetics module, and we couldn’t get the rope through it, I was very angry. I told my group members that it wasn’t going to work and that we should just give up. My group members encouraged me to keep going. I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through that if I hadn’t had people tell me to keep going.

As we are transitioning into our Kick Flip Failure project, I can already tell that I will get frustrated very easily. I’m not the person who usually keeps going. I love to give up. After realizing that failure is key to doing amazing things. No matter how many times I may fail, not even just in this project I will keep going, till I get it right.

-Nishi P.  

by Khammila Shimray

          At the beginning of this year we had to start our maker project. Which is, a project where we can invent/build basically whatever we think will help or serve a purpose in our community. We had about a month and a half to work till the Maker Fair on April 24th. Our project was a phone projector, so we needed a magnifying glass, speakers and a box. We had to order the magnifying glass and speakers and wait till they arrived, this took about two weeks. My group members were also frustrated because, it took three tries to send our order beforehand.

(what it was supposed to look like)

          Meanwhile, we worked on getting the box set up which had to be covered so that no light would shine through. When we finally put everything together, it didn’t work. For some reason the magnifying glass wasn’t projecting the image from the phone. We tried re-covering the sides with black tape so that there for sure wasn’t any light, but it still didn’t work. “What do we do next?” we asked.

          So again, we re-did the process of finding all the materials and re-building our projector. The results were disappointing. Our new projector did the same exact same thing as the one before. The Maker Faire had already passed and we basically had lost all motivation. So you’re probably expecting some great reflection on how if you never give up then you’ll eventually you’ll succeed. This is not one of them unfortunately.

           We had ran out of time and didn’t have access to the right materials needed. But, the learning experience was great and we really worked well together as a group. Although, we never actually finished our projecter we gained something greater, learning how to cooperate together, and the importance of time and materials in a project.

We all have failures in our life. Some bigger than others. One of the failures I’ve had is when I tried to bake a cake. I wanted to bake a cake for fun, and because we had just gotten the ingredients. I got the idea and started planning it out. I used the instructions on a recipe I had heard of before. It looked really good and I wanted to try it, so that afternoon I started. I got all the ingredients and started working. At first it seemed pretty fine I was feeling pretty good about it and put it in the oven. After it came out it looked okay, it hadn’t really expanded completely but expanded enough. I started with my decorations and and frosting. After I was done I cut it and tasted it. To my disappointment it hadn’t come out as good as it looked from the outside. It tastes terrible, but I don’t give up. I worked on it and after that failed try I looked up and I hadn’t put all the ingredients it needed and I had opened the oven to soon which didn’t let the bread expand as much as it should have been. With this experience I have now learned from my mistakes and now my my cakes are better than ever. I know now that I have to work on my mistakes on whatever it is and never give up, because every mistake you make the better and better the next one will be.

My group and I have planned to make a maxi dress. We have been going to Ms. Mauser for sewing lessons so we can create our own maker project. So far we have improved a lot. We have learned how to thread a sewing machine, how to spin a bobbin, and how to set up a machine.

Before doing our maker project we had to do a small project to get the hang of using a sewing machine. Due to the testing that will happen and time, we were not able to do our maker project of a maxi dress connected to a lilypad, so certain parts of the dress could light up.

So far my group and I have started our project with Ms. Mauser which is to create a potato chip bag out of chosen fabric. We have started to sew the edges which is the 1st and basic step of making the bag. Next time we go we’re supposed to finish sewing the edges and start doing the outside of the bag. And from there we start doing everything else and putting it together. Which will turn into a potato chip bag.

Over these few full-class classes we have learned how to sew. Which I think is the most important thing we have learned in those  classes. Plus this skill is really useful, because in the future we could make something for fun or important somebody might need. Like knitting sweaters, scarfs, mittens (etc…) for the homeless or people who really need them.

My goal for this project is to learn at least one new skill that could change my life. My group and I just learn how to sew on sewing machines we aren’t experts still but we learning to become one. Before I ever thought about learning how to sew on sewing machines I wasn’t planning on ever learning this skill I thought it was complicated, had no interest on sewing and probably impossible for me to learn how to sew. Well I challenge myself so I decided to give it a chance on sewing, I ending up enjoying and having fun with it. I am proud that I now know how to sew. The purpose for sewing is that in our maker project we(my group and I) want to make a bag that process sewing is the main challenge or goal that we have to achieve. So far during learning on how to sew we are making a bag. Finally how I feel about my maker project is completely enjoyable, challenged, and happiness.

Materials

“Materials Definition: the matter from which a thing is or can be made.”

My partner and I picked out the module materials because we thought it would be fun to do and we actually learned to reuse recycled materials and make them into new things.

At first we had to look for the materials we could use, but before that we had to pick out a word my partner Monserrat picked out the word integrity because it means the “quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.”

Our first idea was to make all the letters out of cardboard but when we went to look at the recycling box we found a variety of materials that were already used. we had an idea where we knew how they would look and we got some of the material that we could use to make our letters.

When we started building some of the letters I cut the T out of styrofoam and it was very easy to cut it out because we working together to build the word and my partner was keeping me in task. I painted the letter T orange. Another letter I painted was the letter N and I painted it pink with black and peach colored  polk a dots but my partner accidentally got some green paint so I just put more green in it and it turned out looking great.

I also helped paint the top part of the first letter I and I wanted it to look like Captain Americas shield but we did not have the color red so i just painted it blue and put black squiggly lines on it .It also had a black star in the middle with yellow paint surrounding it . For the letter E we used a small plastic pole and we used paint palettes to make the lines for the letter E.

For the letter G my partner made it look 3D and she painted it green. For the letter R, I cut it out and my partner Monserrat painted it blue and put black squiggly lines on it . for the letter T we found a cut up pool noodle and a used folder to make the top part of the T.

This module helped us understand that we could reuse some of the things that were already used and make them into something else.But it also showed us that we could make anything we want if we wanted.

-Nayeli Espinoza 

Hello hello hello! Blog post numero cinco here. Currently, my group is working on a marble run. Since they have all taken to the idea of writing about it, I have decided to write about coming up with the ideas. At first, I was so excited to just get my ideas out, to get them on paper and make the drafts a reality. The only problem was the limited amount of time and limited amount of supplies. I had to be aware that we were only given so long to complete this project.

Now to the ideas portion. To come up with ideas I would think about what we were trying to do, our goal, and then what things I have seen around that would help us achieve that goal. For example, I noticed that a gum ball machine would fit in with the new and old theme, while being able to fit a marble. But could we build one with our current supplies? Sadly, no. So I had to move on to the next idea until I had sorted through and found the perfect marble run. Have fun checking out the rest of this blog, and more on the marble run soon!

~Elayna

Many times in a big project when something goes wrong, we tend to want to give up. The amount of progress we’ve made leaves our mindset and we only focus on how much we have left to go. Both of these situations are great to keep in mind for their own reasons. Our progress shows how much we’ve accomplished and done well, but many times we get caught up in how much we’ve achieved that we don’t think about what we could do to make it better or what needs to be completed in the first place.

For my maker project, I went outside of my comfort zone. I knew that we would be given a big amount of time to complete this project so I tried my hardest not to shy away from a difficult but achievable idea. I wanted to make something that would make me learn something along the way.

When I sat down with my group, we were so uncertain of what we wanted to create. The first thing was a bird bath, then it was a bird house. Our ideas were all based around birds, which made no sense to me. My group member mentioned bird clothes. Birds with clothes on? Is that a thing? We laughed at the idea, but never went back to it.

The next class period came along and we still didn’t know what to create for the Maker Project. We all agreed that the idea of making bird clothes was really unusual, but probably achievable. My group member Nicole already had experience with sewing so we decided to give it a try.

Over the next few classes we started to practice sewing, which was extremely hard for me. We brainstormed the pieces of clothing we wanted to make for our collection, and the drawings included hats, skirts, and capes. We also decided we wanted to store this clothing in a tiny closet.

The next classes were spent creating the closet using the tools provided in the maker space. Many of the times I shied away from them, but with more direction from my teacher, I became comfortable with them. We had so many obstacles along the way but as a group we overcame them. Also, when we did the clothes, the sewing was very frustrating. Through all of these obstacles, I learned something very important. A group can accomplish so many things together. Now I am very confident for the Maker Faire, and have learned so many team skills through this project.

By: Tori Baltierra (8th period)

By Izabella Matheson

With the Make-o-rama fast approaching, I knew the time had come to join a group project, since I had no design ideas myself. I browsed the projects being worked on by the other groups and found myself particularly drawn to one group’s idea- it was called a Marble Run. The purpose of the project was to create an intricate, all wooden structure that a marble could roll down, providing entertainment to people of all ages. It was to be modeled after the classic wooden marble runs that have been around for decades, bringing simple joy their owners.

I asked the two project designers, Cloa Glass and Elayna Middleton, if I could join the group, and they welcomed me. Another classmate and friend of mine, Erin Nolan, also joined in on the project. We immediately got to work designing the Marble Run, roughly sketching how we planned to build it and determining the measurements and necessary supplies. First, with the permission of Ms. Sauter, we ordered a bag of marbles because, well, they seemed fairly important in the construction of a marble run.

We had just laid out the plywood we were going to use on the table and were watching a video that displayed and demonstrated a huge, swirling marble run made completely by a 3D printer in awe. As we sat, eyes glued to the screen of our iPad, watching the marble twist and turn down the giant contraption, Ms. Sauter approached us. She, too, had been paying attention to the video, she informed us, in amazement, and suggested that we incorporate 3D printing into our design, as well.

Cloa, Elayna, Erin, and I considered this. Cloa and Elayna’s original idea had been to keep the marble run strictly wooden, very similar to its classic design. At first, none of us were enthused by the idea of making part of our design 3D printed, but upon further speculation, we realized it might actually be beneficial to include some 3D printed parts. That way, our marble run could combine both elements of its classic design, and a new, modernized innovation. After all, the Make-o-Rama is all about exploring new possibilities in designing and creating.

As of now, we have not yet completed our marble run, but we are steadily making progress. We have already 3D printed a spiral for the marble to go down and have also began constructing the wooden base of the track. We plan to 3D print a couple more pieces to add onto the wood to emphasize the difference between the newer and older design.

Through this project, I have come to realize and truly appreciate how greatly we have advanced in technology in such a short amount of time. I mean, to think that a 3D printer, a magic machine that takes online designs and brings them to life, exists is astonishing enough, but, the fact that I, an average middle schooler, have access to this piece of technology, blows my mind. It’s easy to find flaws in the technology our world has today, but when you pay attention to the good and beneficial things it has to offer, you will see we are truly lucky to have access to such amazing equipment and programs.

Maker project Idea By; Emelyn Macias

For my maker project I wanted to do a dog house but I figured that if i would do that it would take me a lot of patience, which is something that i’m not really good at. So for our maker project we either start a project of your choice (if approved by Ms.Sauter) and after that you share your idea and get a group to help you out and they usually join because they’re interested in that project, but the thing was that I only had one girl that wanted to join the project, which was a problem because we wanted a group that would help us out.

After I thought about it I figured that it would be better if I just join a group, so I started going around and ask what their project was and I saw a group with 3 girl and the project was to sow bunnies and the idea of this project was that we would put the bunnies all around the school and they would keep the bunnies and they would be happy because they have a stuffed handmade bunny, but the problem was that I don’t have experience with needles and i didn’t know how to sow. I tried sowing in the eyes, and it was a total mess because I didn’t know how to deal with all of that so i tried again, and again, and again. I gave up, and decided I needed another job which was to start stuffing the bunnies, so I stuffed the bunnies while the other girls finished sowing the bunnies.
Maker project has really teach me new ways not only on what i’m good or bad at but how to work with other people that i’m not used to talking to. Pltw is a class that helps me discover new things about myself that can help me later in the future and in my other classes