Throughout the planning stage, our team underwent many shifts. Many beneficial experiences were shared throughout our project planning and implementation. A key lesson that revealed itself from doing this project is to not fear feedback. Most people find it difficult to give and take constructive feedback because it can feel as though it is a personal attack, but working in a group where we respect each other as people helped us build a relationship that allows for constructive feedback to serve as helpful, necessary, and for the greater good. 

The most gratifying part of the Impactathons project was getting to interact with students at the Digital NEST event. It was fun and rewarding getting to engage with peers about the topics we worked so hard on preparing for and we loved seeing how excited and creative participants were when they made their screen printing designs.

Creating a tech tool simple enough for a two-day workshop was key to fulfilling our partner's mission statement of peer-to-peer learning. We aimed to provide participants with an experience that reflected both Impactathons and Digital NEST, encouraging them to explore both organizations more deeply following the event. A valuable lesson we learned as a group, especially when working within the Impactathon's format, is not to set our scope too high. 

Setting ambitious goals for the tech tool can often lead to overcomplication and result in a confusing tech workshop, resembling more of a lecture than an interactive working session. The pivot towards a simple tech tool like Canva was one that we all appreciated in the long run. Canva is simple, easy for all of us to use and understand, yet offers significant creative potential. Pairing this straightforward and creative tech tool with the physical aspect of screen printing felt perfect, as screen printing typically requires simple designs, aligning well with Canva's capabilities.

This event got us outside of our comfort zone when it came to presenting in front of strangers. We have all had to give presentations in class before, and even those can be anxiety-inducing. Organizing the two-day workshop was new for us. As we got closer and closer, we began to see how everything we have been working on and what we have been learning in class came together for a well-planned event. Especially knowing that if we did face another roadblock, we could always look towards several people for help and guidance. The turnout on the second day was stronger than it was for the first day. This is clear evidence that what we were doing was resonating with the participants enough for them to invite their friends to join. 

This project exposed us to Digital NEST and how they are rethinking education and recreating it for the modern age. We will always keep my eye out to see how we can lend a hand to people and participate in reimagining education.