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California Middle and High School Students Report Wanting Fresh and Healthy School Lunch in the Context of Universal School Meals
No full textObjective To evaluate students’ perceptions of school lunches served when they were offered free of charge to all students. Design Cross-sectional qualitative study using focus groups. Setting California students interviewed virtually. Participants Middle school (n = 36) and high school (n = 31) students from a racially and economically diverse sample. Main Outcome Measure Students’ perceptions of school lunch. Analysis Thematic analysis using immersion-crystallization methodology. Results Students desire fresh and healthy school lunches. Students defined fresh as food prepared on-site, from scratch, and not prepackaged or frozen, and healthy as food that contains fruits and vegetables. Many students perceived the main entrees to be the least healthy and fresh part of school lunch and fruits and vegetables to be the most healthy and fresh; however, some students reported the fruits and vegetables were not always fresh or palatable. Conclusions and Implications Students value fresh and healthy free school lunches, but they have somewhat limited definitions of what constitutes healthy. Schools can better meet student preferences for fresh and healthy foods to ensure that meals served free of charge are nourishing and palatable to all students while improving nutrition education such that students understand the components of a healthy meal
Universal free school meal policies and participation in the US national school meal programs
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Quantum approximate optimization algorithm for spatiotemporal forecasting of HIV clusters
No full textMedScrab: An innovative interactive mobile game for enhancing medication knowledge retention
No full textExploring the Impact of Extracurricular Organizations on K-12 Disadvantaged Students
Get PDFThis capstone examines the role of extracurricular activities (ECAs) in supporting the academic and personal development of underserved youth, with a focus on the challenges they face in accessing these opportunities. Through interviews with stakeholders from Boston After School and Beyond (Boston Beyond), Youth Enrichment Services (YES), Youth Development Organization (YDO), and the Merrimack Valley YMCA (MVYMCA), the study explores how ECAs foster essential life skills such as leadership, communication, and teamwork. Key barriers to participation, including financial constraints and transportation, are identified, along with strategies employed by the organizations I spoke with such as sliding scale fees and scholarships designed to increase accessibility. The research also highlights the importance of mentorship and peer support in enhancing student engagement and community building. It emphasizes the need for inclusive programs that are responsive to the diverse needs of marginalized students, including those with special needs and English language learners. While challenges in securing consistent funding are noted, the study recommends diversifying revenue streams and strengthening community partnerships to ensure long-term sustainability. Overall, the capstone underscores the vital role of ECAs in promoting equitable opportunities for youth and offers recommendations for improving access and participation
Lifting As We Climb: Mentorship as a Catalyst for Retention Among Black Male College Students
Get PDFThe retention rates of Black male students in U.S. higher education institutions are critically low. This capstone identifies the variety of barriers that Black males face that contribute to these low college retention rates and explores the role of mentorship as a catalyst for improving retention rates among Black male college students. By utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory as a framework, this research highlights how various environmental influences interact to impact student retention. The project includes a community workshop aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of how mentorship can support Black male students in their academic, emotional and personal journeys. Workshop participants recognized mentorship as critical for academic, emotional and professional success. Implications for future work include the need for institutions to diversify mentorship programs, build mentorship ecosystems, and track long-term impacts on student retention. Future initiatives should center Black male student experiences and broaden mentor networks to promote belonging, persistence, and college completion. The workshop affirmed that through intentional mentorship, we can create powerful pathways for Black male students to thrive, persist and achieve their fullest potential
Pearl City African American Culture & Historic Preservation
Get PDFThe significant legacy of Pearl City’s culture and heritage is a testament to African American resilience and has endured the challenges of urban development and gentrification. The importance of preserving its cultural legacy allows historians to teach each generation about its culture, history and traditions. Pearl City\u27s legacy will inspire other communities to celebrate their own cultural histories, fostering a sense of pride for their own past. This project’s focus is to explore Pearl City\u27s historical significance through multidisciplinary means: educational curriculum, workshops, cultural exhibits, oral histories and a mobile guided tour. The expectation is to foster community pride and increase cultural awareness of African American history in Boca Raton. These initiatives are intended to promote pride and unity among Pearl City residents, encourage financial empowerment, as well as benefit others by creating a deeper appreciation of cultural history. The data collected from this project was gained through focus groups and interviews from community members and experts in the field of historic preservation. The results from both interviews and focus groups varied however topic questions focused on the concerns and issues faced by African American communities in South Florida. The importance of this project is to discover strategies and initiative to preserve Pearl City\u27s Culture and heritage
Marketing Strategy: John Chalino, RE/MAX Realty
Get PDFI worked with a group of 3 other girls to work with a client who needed marketing help. We designed a plan and some mock ups to help him move forward and become more professional.https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/rcac_2025_posters/1000/thumbnail.jp