I thought is share this in case anyone is interested in making something similar.

My son teaches robotics at a middle school for 7th-8th graders (ages 12 -14). I volunteered to make 9 plaques for the local tournament they are hosting next week - these are DIY using dimensional pine lumber, stain, polyurethane, epoxy, anodized aluminum sheets, a borrowed router, and the laser etcher at the library maker space.

Cost each was about $4: $3 per 5x7 anodized aluminum and $1 for wood. All other supplies were leftover from previous projects.

Do they look exactly like professional plaques? No - my woodworking skills are not at that level, but my son said "they are good enough for the intended purpose".

Android SMS application recommendations?

Thanks to #enshittification , the Verizon SMS app on my phone is going away. Verizon used to have Web browser and tablet access to shared messages without a separate account, but removed those features and are now shutting down the app itself (I wouldn't be surprised if they pushed a 'security update' that replaces the SMS app with a microtransaction-powered video game). Any recommendations for a good SMS app for Android? Is there any self-hosting option to also synchronize/read/write shared SMS using a PC? I'll use the default Samsung app or Google Messages if necessary, but there are so many apps already feeding the algorithms/AI that I'd rather use a well designed privacy protecting paid app than feeding more personal data into the algorithm. "Don't use SMS" isn't an option for me. SMS is still necessary for 2FA, local alerts, and group texts with some contacts. Switching from Verizon isn't an option because they have the best (sometimes only) coverage for the rural areas I travel to in the US.