MP students participate in World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute

More than 299 students from 131 high schools came together at the sixth annual World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute last Monday at Iowa State University, including students from Mt. Pleasant High School.

The students came together to explore critical issues related to global food security and discover academic and career paths in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

In order to participate, each student is required to write a research paper identifying a key issue - such as environmental volatility, nutrition, water scarcity or gender inequality - that impacts hunger in a developing country. They will then propose a solution and present their findings to a panel of peers and experts at the one-day event.

Shaleen Thiengmany presented her research on farm to market in Rwanda. The Mt. Pleasant students are mentored by Jennifer Stater.

?What I appreciate most about the institute is that every student has the opportunity to apply their own unique talents to addressing food insecurity,? said Kelsey Tyrrell, director of Global Education Programs at the World Food Prize. ?From education to engineering, it will take a multitude of professions working together to feed 9 billion people by 2050 and we need to ensure the fresh, innovative ideas of young adults are heard.?

During the event luncheon, Gov. Terry Branstad spoke to the students about the importance of feeding the growing population.

?I truly believe that there just may be one of you here today who will be able to follow in Norman Borlaug?s footsteps, who will make a similar breakthrough achievement, one that will help us meet the challenge of feeding the 9 billion people who will soon be on our planet,? he said. ?For you students, it is your generation that must meet this challenge?which is perhaps the greatest challenge agriculture has ever faced.?

Students also heard from DuPont Pioneer Vice President and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Krysta Harden.

?In the next 35 years, every single day, 150,000 people will be added to our population,? she said. ?That is four times the size of the student body at Iowa State. Does that make you scared? Does that make you think? Does that make you realize how important it is, these decisions that you make, these passions that you have, how you need to turn that into constructive, meaningful solutions.?

The event included over 80 industry professionals and business leaders who served as discussion experts as students shared their research and ideas on how to combat global hunger and poverty. Honored guests included Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President of the World Food Prize and Kelsey Tyrrell, Director of Global Education Programs at the World Food Prize and a member of the Iowa Governor?s STEM Advisory Council.

According to a press release, The Iowa Youth Institute has now reached over 64 percent of all Iowa high schools since its inauguration in 2011, and has been referred to as the most unique and innovative event to inspire Iowa high school students to focus on global issues and opportunities in STEM.