Project 3 Starter Kit Code Issue

Try to check the real value your analog input gives? Another possibility you can use, is to put some of your loops in a "comment" format, just put the /* in those lines.
I also use that for testing, when my projects don't do what I want.

Maybe, since the first reading is performed when the programm is started, you might make a little delay before measuring, so the component you use to make the measurement has time to "start up".