About the Virtual Youth Institute
The Foundation’s Virtual Youth Institutes connect high school students worldwide with global leaders and experts. Students will present research and recommendations on solving global issues, engage in small group discussions with food security experts and connect with fellow student leaders to share ideas. Participants will explore key issues, conduct research and discover opportunities to make a global impact, while interacting with innovators and entrepreneurs working to improve agriculture, food security and sustainability issues.
To be recognized as a Borlaug Scholar, students must complete both the On-Demand Activities and attend one Live Event of the Virtual Youth Institute.
On-Demand Activities | May 25-31, 2026
Students will
- Submit a recorded research presentation through Virtual Youth Institute's On-Demand Platform (link and instructions will be provided after registration)
- Review peer presentations
- Complete short, flexible asynchronous activities
Participation takes less than an hour per day during the week
2026 Virtual Youth Institute Live Events
(Select one date below)
Students will participate in a 2-hour virtual session with global experts and fellow student leaders.
June 2, 2026 | 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT, USA
June 3, 2026 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. CT, USA
June 9, 2026 | 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT, USA
June 10, 2026 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. CT, USA
Paper Submission and Registration Deadline: May 20 11:59 p.m. CT, USA
Video Presentation Deadline: May 25 11:59 p.m. CT, USA
How to Participate
To participate in a Virtual Youth Institute, high school students must:
- Research an issue related to food security
- Write a paper (having a teacher or mentor guide you is optional, but highly encouraged to help you stay on track)
- Record a video presentation
- Complete the On-Demand activities and attend a Live Event
Eligibility: Ninth through twelfth grade students are eligible to participate in the Virtual Youth Institute.
Global Challenge Instructions Sample Student Paper
Benefits of Participating
Students who participate in the Virtual Youth Institute earn recognition as a Borlaug Scholar and become eligible to be invited as a student delegate to attend the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa. Participating high school students have the opportunity to:
- As a participant, you will be recognized as a Borlaug Scholar;
- You may also qualify for additional Foundation programs, including the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, the USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship and the opportunity to attend the Global Youth Institute;
- You will be eligible for one of the 10 Global Challenge Awards, with two top awards of $1,000 given for exceptional solutions to global food insecurity; and
- This experience will help enhance your global awareness, as well as strengthen your skills in research, writing, critical thinking and public speaking.
“First and foremost, the World Food Prize Virtual Foundation taught me how to write a research paper. This was the first real research paper I had ever written, and the resources online about formatting along with the prior knowledge I had from teachers, taught me how I was going to write this paper and make it to the finish line. Participating in the World Food Prize Virtual Foundation conference has taught me a lot about how diverse the field of agriculture is." - 2024 Virtual Youth Institute Participant
"I come from a suburban town in Washington, so while I try to immerse myself, I am not exposed to the agricultural field that much. What resonated most to me was the guest speaker that was brought in, and how she talked about her travel experiences in the field collaborating with farmers to engineer solutions. Then it was attending the “roundtable” discussion and being able to discuss the solutions. I learned about problems in countries that I hadn’t heard of, and I expanded my worldview. Some of the solutions that they thought of sounded so creative, and I was wondering why another person hadn’t already thought of this.” - 2024 Virtual Youth Institute Participant
For more information, please contact Austin Castillo-Leovan at acastilloleovan@worldfoodprize.org.