High school students participate in World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute at MSU
Contact: Vanessa Beeson
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擡ighteen Mississippi high school students chosen as Borlaug Scholars were participants in the third annual World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute at 绿巨人视频 on Friday [March 22].
The event, hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, gave them the chance to discuss food security issues with global food security experts.
To be eligible, students researched and wrote an essay on one of 15 topics related to food security in a developing country and then presented a synopsis of their research at the event. As part of their project, each student suggested innovative ways to improve food security. The Borlaug Scholars program pays tribute to the World Food Prize鈥檚 founder Norman E. Borlaug.
Macon native Jilkiah Bryant, a Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science senior returned for a second time to the annual event. Both years, her essays focused on infectious disease. Last year, she presented on infectious disease prevention among U.S. military in Afghanistan, while this year she researched the HIV epidemic in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland.
鈥淚 discuss ways to reduce the country鈥檚 HIV rate and cultural barriers that may hinder implementation of certain educational and prevention programs,鈥 Bryant said, noting that the nation has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.
Bryant also founded a service organization in her community called Project Powerful that connects local teenagers with service opportunities, and she said her favorite aspect of the Mississippi Youth Institute is how it challenges students to think globally.
鈥淭his program helps students consider problems in places other than the United States even as we face our own challenges. That is what encouraged me to get more involved鈥攚hen I realized it was looking at the bigger picture,鈥 she said.
Tina Gibson, a biology instructor at Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and mentor to Bryant and two other 2019 Borlaug Scholars, said the event was a chance for students to grow as writers and researchers.
鈥淭his experience helped students become more aware of their writing skills, how to research a topic and come up with a solution to a problem, which was perhaps the hardest part of the assignment,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t also gave them an outlet to research an area of interest that they may not otherwise get to speak on.鈥
Gibson pointed out competitive research opportunities as a whole are important on the path to post-secondary education.
鈥淓xperiences like this competition allow students to take ownership and defend something they鈥檝e developed on their own, plus the chance to travel and represent MSMS and the state of Mississippi, and the possibility to win scholarship or monetary prizes,鈥 she said.
Associate Dean Scott Willard, who was instrumental in bringing the Mississippi Youth Institute to MSU, said he鈥檚 proud of the program鈥檚 growth.
鈥淲e hope our institute brings the conversation of food insecurity into the classroom at a time when students are considering their future careers, and possibly be inspired to pursue a major or career aimed at stamping out hunger,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e believe this program will become a hallmark outreach program for our college, and provide high school teachers and students with the inspiration to consider food insecurity and become part of the solution in fighting world hunger.鈥
In addition to Bryant, other participating Borlaug Scholars and their presentation topics include (by hometown):
ARTESIA鈥擪eith Peoples of Golden Triangle Early College High School, mitigating climate change in Fiji.
CALEDONIA鈥擜bby Romig of Golden Triangle Early College High School, lessening political instability in South Sudan.
COLUMBUS鈥擱oslyn Butler of Golden Triangle Early College High School, improving access to clean water in Nigeria; Frederica Hargrove of Golden Triangle Early College High School, lessening political instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Destiny Jones of Golden Triangle Early College High School, malnutrition in the Philippines; Gabriel Phillips of Golden Triangle Early College High School, sustainable agriculture in North Korea; Alex Provencher of Golden Triangle Early College High School, gender disparity in Egypt; and Mary Redman of Golden Triangle Early College High School, improving access to clean water and better sanitation in Mozambique.
CRAWFORD鈥擲amya Brooks of Golden Triangle Early College High School, improving access to clean water and better sanitation in Afghanistan.
MACON鈥擜ymelia Stevenson of Golden Triangle Early College High School, improving agricultural production systems in Nigeria.
MERIDIAN鈥擪ayann Matlock of Clarkdale High School, improving literacy rates in Honduras; and Curt Todd III of Clarkdale High School, improving access to clean water and better sanitation in Nicaragua.
MONTICELLO鈥擲arina Dale of Lawrence County High School, improving access to education in the Republic of Burundi.
STARKVILLE鈥擠ennis Lee of Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, decreasing urban poverty in China.
TYLERTOWN鈥擜lexandra Magee of Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, lessening political instability in Yemen.
WEST POINT鈥擜shref Abdulla of Golden Triangle Early College High School, lessening political instability in Yemen; and Mylor Hammond of Golden Triangle Early College High School, mitigating climate change in Bangladesh.
Top students from World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute will be invited to the Global Youth Institute in Iowa in October. Participating students also are eligible to apply to the Borlaug Ruan International Internship and the USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship. Additionally, teachers can apply for professional development opportunities through the global guides program with the World Food Prize.
Anyone interested in the World Food Prize Mississippi Youth Institute, should contact Willard at swillard@cals.msstate.edu.聽For more information, visit .
绿巨人视频is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽www.msstate.edu.