The Focus of Senior Capstone

During my time in Senior Capstone I have learned an incredible amount of eye opening information. There are so many problems in our world, and not just outside of the United States but also within our very own country. I feel that Mr. Pike, Mr. Denzin, and Mrs. Denzin have done an excellent job of bringing these issues to our attention while also teaching us the responsibilities of being a young student  which can have an effect on our society big or small. Our teachers have told us on how to take action, big or small, against these issues and what we can do about them. By teaching us to help in our community, donate our time and money, or, in my opinion the most important way to take action, by bringing the issue to the attention of the masses. This is truly important to an issue because if nobody knows of the situation than they can't take action to improve the issue. By teaching us the tools and ways to tackle issues in our world, I believe that Mr. Pike, Mr. Denzin, and Mrs. Denzin are truly doing a tremendous job at teaching us.
When it comes to what i'v taken from this course there are many changes that I have integrated in to my life thanks to this course. After our food and water areas of study I can proudly say i'v stopped eating fast foods and have tried to eat only organic foods and correctly fed and free roamed meat. I'v also successfully stopped drinking high sugar drinks including soda while also trying to pack my own water bottle where ever I go. I'v also learned while doing my community service of a new sense of the community. To have the community thrive you can't be selfish in your needs as well as helping out local stores economically to keep the community afloat. I believe by taking Senior Capstone I have taken a new perspective at my life along with the community in which I live in.
I believe that the class is very strong in what it teaches us students. Theres only one thing that I think could be improved in this class. I believe although the trips out of the country to help others is important, that being students with limited cash these trips are a little unrealistic. I think we should focus a little more on our community and city instead of these expensive trips. We could also use the money for the trip for projects in our community to improve and help it. Other than what i'v stated I believe this class is very strong in how it works and how it teaches us, the students, through service.

What Do You Actually Eat in 24 Hours?

	Breakfast	Between Breakfast and Lunch	Lunch	Between Lunch and Dinner	Dinner	Desert	Total
What I Ate	3 cups of coffee, 2 slices of banana bread, and a greek yogurt.	A greek yogurt, and a glass of chocolate milk.	Macaroni & Cheese with a glass of water.	A orange vitamin water, 2 small hostess powdered donuts.	I had a spring role and some Chinese chicken with garlic sauce.	A caramel magnum bar.	A lot of Food
Calories	508	300	259	245	335	320	1967
Sugar (g)	83	47	7	40	19	29	225
Fat (g)	12	1	3	6	10	20	55
Cholesterol (mg)	57	15	10	12.5	88	25	207.5
Sodium (mg)	457	215	561	145	1205	85	2668
Protein (g)	19	22	11	1.5	30	3	86.5
Potassium (mg)	351	190	296	180	440	0	1457
Vitamins (%)	Vitamin A 12%, Vitamin C 4%,	Vitamin A 10%, Vitamin C 2%, Vitamin D 25%	Vitamin A 1%, Vitamin C 1%,	Vitamin A 25%, Vitamin C 150%, Vitamin E 25%, Vitamin B6 100%, Vitamin B12 100%.	Vitamin A 30%, Vitamin C 82%	Vitamin A 4%	Vitamin A 82%, Vitamin C 239%, Vitamin D 25%, Vitamin E 25%, Vitamin B6 100%, Vitamin B12 100%
Other	Iron 10%, Calcium 16%.	Calcium 45%	Calcium 9%, Iron 14%	Calcium 11%, Iron 3%	Calcium 21%, Iron 72%	Calcium 10%, Iron 8%	Calcium 106%, Iron 107%
Ingredients	Coffee Beans, Water, Sugar, Bananas, wheat flour, vegetable oil, salt, vanilla, milk, pecans, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, wheat flour.organic nonfat milk, organic strawberries, elderberry juice concentrate, pectin	Organic milk, sugar, strawberries, pectin, elderberry juice concentrate. High Fructose Corn syrup, cocoa, salt, Xanthan gum, Vanillin artificial flavor.	wheat flour, Niacin, thiamine, mono nitrate, folic acid, riboflavin, and iron. whey (milk protein), milk protein concentrate, milk, milk fat, cheese culture, salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium phosphate, calcium phosphate, yellow 5 , yellow 6, citric acid, lactic acid, and enzymes.	Spring water, fructose, sugar, citric acid, mineral salts, vitamins, stabilisers, natural orange flavering with other natural flaverings, sweetener, color. Enriched Wheat Flour, Dextrose, Vegetable Shortening, Water, Sugar. Contains 2% Or Less of: Nonfat Milk, Soy Flour, Leavenings, Egg Yolks, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Modified Wheat Starch, Mono And Diglycerides, Tapioca Dextrin, Corn Dextrin, Guar Gum, Karaya Gum, Cornstarch, Cellulose Gum, Enzymes, Modified Corn Starch, Citric Acid, Wheat Starch, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening, Titanium Dioxide, Extracts of Annatto And Turmeric, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Sorbic Acid And Sodium Propionate And Potassium Sorbate And Calcium Propionate.	wheat flour, eggs, salt, water, carrots, leeks, ginger, garlic, cabbage, mushrooms, sprouted beans, green chillies, soy sauce, and white pepper powder. Chicken, soy sauce, light sherry, garlic, green onions, sesame oil, and chili paste, water chestnuts, soy bean pods, baby corn.	Milk, Cream, Sugar, Whey, Mono and Diglycerides, Locust Bean Gum, Vanilla Bean Specks, Carrageenan, Natural Flavor, Annatto Extract, Caramel Color, Belgian Milk Chocolate Coating: Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Milk Fat, PGPR, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Caramel Sauce: Water, Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Nonfat Milk Solids, Coconut Oil Modified Corn Starch, Caramel Color, Salt, Mono & Diglycerides, Carrageenan, Soybean Oil Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Flavor, Chocolatey Coating: Coconut Oil, Sugar, Cocoa, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract.

For an assignment for Senior Capstone we were asked to keep track of what we ate for one day during our 3 day weekend. I choose to keep track of what I ate on Sunday 1/20/13. What surprised me the most out of this assignment is that the smallest thing I ate practically had the most ingredients out of everything I have had in the span of 24 hours. It kind of made me feel sick after seeing everything that went it to just one magnum ice cream bar. I was also surprised by how much things have colorings in them, even my organic greek yogurt that I eat had at least one food coloring in it. For fun I also decided to do the nutrition of my day. I actually did pretty well but again the thing with the most calories in it was my magnum ice cream bar (since my Chinese chicken and spring roll made up the 335 calories), again pretty disgusting. I think this was a fun experience since I got a good understanding of what I eat in one day. I also now understand that some of the smallest and yummy things are usually the ones that have the most ingredients and "additions" to the product. Overall I think this was a fun assignment and gave me a greater knowledge of what I actually consume in 24 hours.

By Ryan Marcus