• Using cardboard, glue, and tape, I created a vending machine inspired by my favorite video game from when I was little because I hadn't used cardboard yet and I felt this was an important design connecting to me as a little kid. We first started with making a strong box to put our parts in. I then started adding the pieces in. I ended with a very pretty and cool design that is useful.

• During this process, I learned how to use my time better and divide the work between the 3 of us to work faster. At the start, we would let one person create something while the other 2 of us just waited. We then started assigning roles. For example, Parker started with the outside boxes. This was very important, as it provided structure for our whole design. I started with the important pieces that made the vending machine. I designed the prototype that would dispense the cans. Gavin used my ideas and started on the pieces. He made pull levers, moving boxes and the way that the cans would fall. This ultimately cut our time in more than half.

• The 7 standards of the class are Empowered Learner, Digital Citizen, Knowledge Constructor, Innovative Designer, Computational Thinker, Creative Communicator, and Global Collaborator. My project ties to Knowledge Constructor because we started with simple designs that didn't work. We then began looking at tutorials online. These worked, but required precise measurements. In the end, we used the designs and made our own version. This worked very well.

• A challenge I overcame on this project was making a dispenser that worked, but didn't take up a lot of space. I was able to do it by designing a contraption that only required you to pull a short lever. This made an easy design that required little space, exactly what we needed. We made layers of cardboard to make a thick handle and made a piece to hold on to, which made it so we could pull the levers.

• Given a chance to do this again, I would change the quality of our design. The reason why I would change it is because some areas really need some love. If I just had some extra time we would be able to. However, we had to make some shortcuts that aided our time spent on this project. In the end, we still made a design that worked very well. I would just like it to be fancier.

• Hastings High School Career and Technical Education Program offers Agriculture, Business Management, Computer Programming, Construction Trades, Culinary Arts, Digital Multimedia, Engineering Design, Finance, Insurance, Marketing.  My project connects to the Engineering Design CTE program at Hastings High School. This is because we designed a product that can be used. We used the resources around us to engineer a product that worked very well.  My project connects to careers in metal product design. You can make a vending machine like us, a sink, a water fountain. There are multiple thigns you can make. We just made a slightly different design with no electricity and out of cardboard. In the end, we still made a similar design. 

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