New York State high school students can now apply for the 2022 New York Youth Institute, an educational program dedicated to tackling the biggest challenges facing people and the planet in the 21st century.

Combining the strengths of Cornell and the World Food Prize, the New York Youth Institute prepares next-generation leaders in global development, agriculture, nutrition and technology. The program empowers students to research issues they care about, propose innovative ideas to Cornell experts, and explore exciting ways to make a difference in New York and around the world.

The 2022 event will be held March 25 on the Cornell campus. Registration and paper submissions are due Feb. 21. To get started, students should complete the online registration form.

“We are thrilled to welcome high school students back at Cornell after two years of hosting the event online due to pandemic restrictions,” said Polly Endreny Holmberg, training program coordinator in the Department of Global Development. “New York Youth Institute students are future innovators who will solve grand global challenges in New York and around the world.”

To participate, students must identify a mentor, write a paper on one of 20 topics ranging from human rights and conflict to sustainable agriculture and water scarcity, and receive feedback from the World Food Prize Board of Reviewers. Students then attend the NYYI event in-person at Cornell, where they present their research and policy recommendations, connect with other students from across the state, and interact with the Cornell community for a day of learning.

Along with membership in the New York Youth Institute, high school students become prestigious World Food Prize Borlaug Scholars, with opportunities to take part in the Global Youth Institute, the Borlaug-Ruan international internships and USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowships.

To learn more about the New York Youth Institute, visit the program’s website or contact Polly Endreny Holmberg.