New York Youth Institute
The New York Youth Institute is a transformative experience where high school students engage with local leaders and agriculture experts on critical global challenges, participate in hands-on activities and explore meaningful ways to make a difference in New York and around the world.
The New York Youth Institute is hosted by Cornell University with generous support from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the CALS Department of Global Development, and valuable network partners such as New York FFA and New York 4-H.
- Date: TBD
- Venue: Cornell University
- Paper Submission Deadline: TBD
- Note: If registration exceeds capacity, student participation will be based on a selection process, prioritizing regional diversity across the state of New York, upper grade levels, and underrepresented areas. Juniors and seniors will be prioritized, with younger students or those from well-represented regions potentially waitlisted. If registration is below capacity, all students will be accepted. Waitlisted students may join one of four 2026 World Food Prize Foundation Virtual Youth Institutes and receive priority for next year. Teachers and mentors are encouraged to share expected registration numbers early. Learn more here.
- Global Challenge Paper: To participate in the New York Youth Institute, high school students research an issue related to food security and write a paper under the supervision of a teacher or mentor.
- Cost: There is no registration cost to participate in the Institute and meals (morning refreshments, lunch and afternoon snacks) will be provided during the event. However, all participants — students and teachers/mentors — are responsible for their own transportation to and from the event in Ithaca, New York. Student participants may be eligible for a 2026 New York Youth Institute Scholarship to help cover travel expenses; please contact your state coordinator for more information (contact details below).
- Eligibility: Ninth through twelfth grade students are eligible to participate in the New York Youth Institute.
For any questions about the New York Youth Institute, please contact: Polly Endreny Holmberg, peh58@cornell.edu or 607-319-6293.
Benefits of Participating
Students who participate in the New York 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:
- Present research and recommendations on ways to solve key global challenges in a short speech and small group discussions with leading agriculture experts;
- Become eligible for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, an all expenses-paid, eight-week hands-on experience for students to work with world-renowned scientists and policymakers at leading research centers around the world;
- Connect with other student leaders from across New York to share ideas, identify solutions to these problems and build lasting friendships;
- Explore the issues, current research and opportunities to make a difference with organizations based in New York;
- Interact with global leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs in New York working to improve food security around the world.; and
- Have their research paper evaluated by the World Food Prize Foundation.
How to Participate
The World Food Prize Foundation’s Global Challenge curriculum is designed to empower high school students to explore, analyze and solve the world’s most pressing problems related to global food security, agriculture and sustainability issues.
To participate, a student must write a three to five page research paper on a country and a food security related topic. Each student will then share this research at a World Food Prize Foundation Youth Institute. The Foundation believes that elevating young voices is crucial to creating a more food-secure and sustainable world and we want to hear your solutions.