The eighth annual World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute brought together 304 students from 130 high schools at Iowa State University on April 29 to explore critical global food security issues and discover academic and career paths in STEM fields.

The Iowa Youth Institute has hosted participants from over 71% of Iowa high schools since its inaugural event in 2012 and has been referred to as the most unique and innovative event that inspires Iowa high school students to become global leaders. During this daylong event, students explore majors and careers related to combating global hunger and poverty, while also presenting their own ideas and solutions to real-world experts and professionals.

Borlaug legacy

“In gathering here for this event, I know that Dr. Norman Borlaug would want you to focus on the important mission of eliminating hunger around the world. It was that objective that motivated him every day of his life. It was that mission that took him from his boyhood farm in northeast Iowa to Mexico, India, Pakistan, China, Africa and all around the world,” Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said.

“My hope for all of you is that having been here today, you will carry with you a part of Dr. Borlaug’s legacy,” she said. “As a member of the next generation of young Iowans, you will hopefully commit yourself to continue your education, build your careers, and conduct your lives focused on the goal that unites us all and makes us so very proud to be Iowans: using the power of science and STEM to help feed the world.”

Institute inspires students to achieve

This innovative experience encourages students to explore academic and career paths in fields related to STEM (science, tech, engineering, math), agriculture and global development. It aims to inspire the next generation of leaders through authentic research presentations and networking opportunities with global experts.

“The Iowa Youth Institute showed me the power of agriculture in an unparalleled way. It's opened my eyes to new career opportunities that I never would have considered prior to attending this event,” said Sibani Ram, a student at Western Dubuque High School. The Iowa Youth Institute is known for exposing young leaders to real-world opportunities that allow them to become part of a larger strategic plan to end hunger and poverty on a global scale.

To participate, students identify a challenge affecting food security within a specified country and propose their own solution to address the challenge. Students then present their ideas to a roundtable of peers and experts at the Iowa Youth Institute, participate in interactive activities in labs and classrooms on campus, and connect with innovative leaders from across the state.

Scholarships for student participants

All students who participate automatically receive a $500 scholarship to Iowa State University’s College of Ag and Life Sciences, and are eligible to apply for the prestigious Wallace-Carver Fellowship program in partnership with USDA. The top Iowa participants will also be selected to join scientists and policy experts from around the world at the three-day World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in October in Des Moines.

Since 2012, ISU has awarded over $250,000 to students participating in World Food Prize programming, ensuring that young leaders have access to a high-quality education and professional mentors, and are prepared to tackle the world’s toughest issues in hunger and poverty.

“For you students who are 18 years old today, when Iowa celebrates its bicentennial in 2046 and you will be celebrating your 45th birthday, the population of our planet will have just reached 9 billion people,” said Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, president of the World Food Prize. “Whether we can nutritiously and sustainably feed all of those people is the single-greatest challenge human beings have ever faced. It will be up to you to fulfill Norman Borlaug’s legacy and meet this challenge.”

This one-day event is offered at no cost to teachers or students. Details are at worldfoodprize.org.

Source: World Food Prize, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren’t responsible for any of the content in this information asset.