World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute at Iowa State University

Iowa high schools have a unique opportunity to promote the study of STEM and global issues among their students by participating in the first ever World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute on April 30. On April 30th, each student will interact with other students from around the state in small discussion groups led by experts in research, industry, and policy. Students and teachers will take part in interactive activities on ISU's campus exposing them to research and work currently taking place in Iowa to solve global challenges. The day will include a luncheon and Governor Branstad will provide a keynote, recognizing all participating students as Borlaug Scholars.

Opportunities available to participating students:

• An exclusive scholarship to attend the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at ISU.
• The top 80 students will be selected to attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute October 18–20, 2012, in Des Moines. There, they will have the amazing opportunity to interact with Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates and leading research scientists from around the world to discuss global issues.
• Students who participate in the Global Youth Institute are eligible for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, an all-expenses-paid, eight-week hands-on experience, working with world-renowned scientists and policymakers at leading research centers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
• The top students at the World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute will be eligible to apply for a USDA Wallace-Carver Internship, a unique opportunity to conduct original research or policy analysis and development through paid, summer internships with USDA research centers or field offices anywhere in the US, including USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

To participate in our Iowa Youth Institute, students research and write an essay about a key global issue affecting food security. The essay is an interdisciplinary exercise, with structured guidelines and a complete resource list for students to explore areas of interest. Students answer a series of guided questions to aid them in developing the essay. We encourage high schools to have many students write the essay and then select its “Borlaug Scholar” from among the most highly qualified and interested students. The essay can be easily incorporated into science, agricultural education, social science, language arts or gifted and talented curricula, and is aligned with the Iowa Core. Essay guidelines and program information is available at: www.worldfoodprize.org/iowayouth.

To ensure your high school does not miss out on this opportunity, please immediately contact, Catherine Swoboda, Director of Iowa Education Programs at the World Food Prize, at cswoboda@worldfoodprize.org or (515) 245-3727 to register your school to participate.

The dissemination of information from external organizations by Heartland AEA does not imply sponsorship or endorsement of the information. It is being passed on to our stakeholders for its educational value.