For my capstone I decided to make a guide for making your own affordable dumbbells from home. I decided to do this project because I think that exercise is very important and that most people don’t have the funds or the motivation to start so I wanted to make it easier for people. For my process, I started by doing calculations for how much cement to use and I bought some supplies from the hardware store like floor flanges, steel pipes, concrete and buckets. Next, I attached the flanges to the ends of the pipe and put the ends in buckets of concrete one at a time. My product is three concrete dumbbells, one 20 lb dumbbell and a set of two 40 lb dumbbells. I made the initial 20 lb dumbbell to test out the math and see if all the measurements are correct but I already have a set of 20’s at home so I didn’t see a point to making another one. During this project I learned a lot about cement and how it sets, what it’s made out of and how much weight decreases when it dries. I think that that is pretty useful because I plan on making more weights out of cement in the future. That is what I did for my capstone project. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GEc0OuLfIllRaIRbozdgbsJn7WFqnKEkfo-jxeGKEaQ/edit?usp=sharing

Abstract Paragraph: For my Capstone I decided to hold an event that helps to combat poverty in Philadelphia.I made bags with toiletries in them and handed them out, along with food and clothes that were donated. Poverty is an important social issue that needs more attention and more work against it. By researching poverty in Philadelphia, I have gotten a better understanding of its causes and effects. This information helped me come up with an effective way to fight poverty and do my part to try and improve the lives of those affected. Also, by showing the reality of those faced with poverty, I hope that my Capstone helps people realize how important this issue is regardless of us being desensitized to it. This was a long process that took a lot of planning but it was worth it to help people that are in need. During the event, I saw the effect that poverty has on people in Philadelphia. While I gave out the bags of toiletries, food and clothes, I saw gratitude and relief come over the faces of those that got them. It was humbling and reminded me of the urgency and need to find solutions for the systemic issues that cause poverty. With my Capstone , I wanted to raise awareness not only about the pressing needs of those affected but also about the issues that are overlooked that contribute to their situation. By engaging with the community and trying to provide basic necessities I hope I was able to inspire people to help fight against poverty.

Jed Ray Capstone Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOSqv25IYhk&feature=youtu.be