Schoharie high school students Lila Amos & Teagan Sobolewski participated in the World Food Prize NY Youth Institute at Cornell University on March 17 and were subsequently named “Borlaug Scholars” for future internship, fellowships and academic opportunities. The New York Youth Institute brings together high school students in grades 9-12 from across NY to interact with Cornell faculty, partake in interactive sessions, and engage in rich dialogue about critical global challenges surrounding food systems, natural resources, world hunger and poverty. To participate in this unique experience, students must research a global issue they care about and submit a research paper under the supervision of a teacher or mentor ahead of the event. Lila and Teagan both focused on climate volatility impacting agricultural production with Lila proposing solutions for Togo through youth climate engagement opportunities and Teagan exploring options for improving overall agricultural program management in Bangladesh.
At the event, Lila & Teagan were able to hear from Cornell’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Associate Dean Beth Ahner, tour the campus and engage in discussion with Dr. Ed Mabaya and Cornell Fulbright Humphrey Fellows on “Rethinking improved seed as software for driving food and nutritional security”, hearing about Dr. Mabaya’s personal experiences growing up in Africa and how that has shaped his research and outreach work on economic development, agribusiness value chains and food security issues, especially in sub-saharan Africa. Lila & Teagan shared their research in small, round table groups, led by experts in the food security and agricultural policy fields. “It was truly an honor to be able to visit Cornell and be a part of finding solutions for a better future and I look forward to participating again in the future” reflected Lila on her experience as a freshman.
As participants of the event and through the completion and presentation of their research papers, Lila and Teagan will both have their work reviewed and appraised by World Food Prize Laureates for the opportunity to be competitively selected as delegates to the Global Youth Institute held in October in Des Moines, Iowa. Both students are also eligible for future opportunities through international internships and fellowships. Borlaug Scholars are named after Norman E. Borlaug, the founder of the World Food Prize and a 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate for his lifetime of work to feed a hungry world. Because of his achievements to prevent hunger, famine and misery around the world, it is said that Dr. Borlaug has “saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived.” Congratulations to both Teagan and Lila on their research and subsequent presentations and participation in the World Food Prize Event in NY.
