1. Austin Atkins
Ms. Tillery
British Literature
Stand and Deliver Speech
Everyone knows that when the woman is not happy, no one is happy. So when my
grandmother wants something, she gets it. Hi, my name is Austin Atkins and I am building an
entertainment center for my senior project. I wanted to do this because I love working with my
hands, this could possibly be a career for me, and this would be my first big project building
something.
I did research on the history of cabinets and all the kinds of tools. I wanted to know the
history and the tools to make cabinets so I would know more about what I was getting into. After
doing research on cabinets, it was much easier working on this project knowing what tool does
what and when to use which one so it wouldn’t take me as long to figure it out. I learned that
cabinets have only been around for about forty years, which is not what most people think they
have. So I chose a darker stain to give it a modern look.
I chose to build an entertainment cabinet/center. I decided on this project because my
grandmother wanted something her TV could sit on and that was more organized. Also, because
I love working with my hands, it could turn out to be my career, and it would be the largest
project that I have ever built. There were many steps to complete the finished product. First, I
had to come up with a good design to make it organized. Second, I had to order the wood and the
doors which cost about $67. Step three was the hard part, figure out what to cut and where to cut
it. Fourth, I had to put everything together. I had to glue, and drill screws into the wood. The last
step was the fun part which was sanding and staining the wood. To stain, you have to use a clean

2. rag and wipe it on the wood and then take another clean rag to wipe off the think spots so it looks
even. Travis Smithwick was my facilitator and I chose to have him help me because he is an old
family friend and a great guy. He taught me which side of the wood to cut because you want to
cut the side that has already been cut by the factory so there will always be a smooth side, which
side of the wood to sand, and how to be careful while you’re sawing or drilling. Like in every
project, there are challenges. My challenges were taking measurements exactly right, finding
split wood, and trying to find time when Travis wasn’t busy. The biggest challenge was my
injury time. It was hard for me to lift or move anything for a few weeks after I dislocated my
shoulder.
I learned a lot more than I thought I would just from building an entertainment center. It
is not as easy as it looks and you could get seriously hurt doing anything while building one. I
knew I would enjoy building this, but it was better than I expected. You have to be committed,
but I think I have what it takes. So I think making cabinets would definitely be a career I would
want to do. This project has brought out the best in me. I learned so many new things like which
type of wood to use, it taught me how to be committed, and made me think of a new career.
So when you go home tonight, I want you to say “I want Austin Atkins to build the next
set of cabinets in my home.” Thank you for your time and I hope to do business with you some
day.