L-R: New Jersey high school students, Kareena Singh, Ayliana Hernandez, Nathan Noel, Julia Yi (a 2023 delegate who attended this year as a Global Guide), Ava Ulland, Sean Foggan, Marissa Duarte and Alina Sinchi, who attended the 2024 Global Youth Institute hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines, Iowa.
A contingent of 12 high school students represented New Jersey at the 2024 Global Youth Institute (GYI) held in Des Moines, Iowa, from October 29 to November 1. Hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation, this annual event provides high school students from around the world with the opportunity to interact with Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates and discuss pressing issues of food security and agriculture with international experts. GYI student delegates also present their own research papers on a critical aspect of food security and discuss their findings with international experts and their peers in roundtable discussions.
The 12 student delegates, Marissa Duarte, Sean Foggan, Ayliana Hernandez, Alaina Manzano-Hernandez, Tatiana Hlinka, Maria Mueller, Nathan Noel, Denisse Sarmientos, Alina Sinchi, Kareena Singh, Jasmyn Srinivasan and Ava Ulland, were accompanied by Serafina Smith-Matos, assistant dean in the Office of Academic Programs at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), along with two adult chaperones.
“I was deeply inspired by the energy, engagement and preparation the students brought to the Global Youth Institute,” said Smith-Matos.
“It was clear that they not only embraced the opportunity to engage with global leaders and peers but also recognized the importance of the challenges at the heart of this event—issues like food security and sustainability. This aligns closely with our mission at SEBS, where we aim to train the next generation of leaders who will work to solve the existential challenges of our time. Our students demonstrated a commitment to making a meaningful impact, and I’m proud to see them embracing the values of leadership, innovation, and global responsibility that are essential to creating a healthy, sustainable future for all.”
L-R: Kareena Singh, Nathan Noel and Ayliana Hernandez make their way around the Global Youth Institute event in Des Moines, Iowa.
The students were selected from among their statewide peers who participated in March this year in the New Jersey Youth Institute (NJYI) hosted by Rutgers SEBS. NJYI serves as an innovative model that engages high school students to pursue STEM career paths relating to agriculture and global food security.
Among the NJYI participants chosen for the Des Moines event was Sean Foggan, a senior from Cedar Creek High School, who found the experience of meeting other youths from around the world and hearing their stories to be incredibly moving.
“Two things that influenced me on this trip were meeting new people from all over the world, and the guest speakers talking about their own experiences within their field of work. When we first arrived, we were told to go around and meet new people and although at first, I didn’t want to, I ended up doing so and met so many people from around the world and talked to them about their experiences and they genuinely moved me.”
Sean also shared many lessons that he took away from the experience. “There were many lessons I learned during this experience but just to name a few, don’t take anything for granted, we are so lucky to have access to nourishing food to keep ourselves healthy as there are people around the world who are not as lucky. Meeting new people and discussing your ideas is great; normally I am not the type of person to go out of my way and talk to people but from this experience, I learned that doing so is incredible and exposes you to many ideas and thoughts of like-minded individuals.”
He added, “This conference showed me how important agriculture is for the future of our world, and I feel I would love to be a part of the future generation that helps save people who are affected by the effects of food insecurity.”
Ava Ulland, who is also a senior from Cedar Creek High School, spoke about the impact of the New Jersey program and how it helped her to connect to the global experience in Iowa.
“The Global Youth Institute was a great experience where I was able to meet and hear from inspiring students, and leaders from around the world. Starting with the New Jersey Youth Institute at Rutgers where I met so many great students from around the state, then following with The Global Youth Institute, I met even more students from many different regions of the world with whom I am still in contact following the conference.”
“My experiences at The Global Youth Institute has shaped my outlook on the future in more ways than one and opened my eyes to different ways my passions could help improve and combat food insecurity. Hearing from many inspiring speakers, like Under Secretary Taylor from the USDA, I have become inspired to find ways where I can use law and policy to positively impact and create change in how we interact with the environment. Without attending the New Jersey Youth Institute, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to hear from such inspiring and accomplished individuals,” added Ava.
Tatiana Hlinka standing at the podium at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates.
Tatiana Hlinka, a senior from Hunterdon Central High School, shared that “the Global Youth Institute was a transformative experience for me, not only as an aspiring researcher but also as a changemaker and leader. Each panel discussion gave me the opportunity to see how world leaders are using innovative technology and resources to ensure food security, especially in vulnerable regions and communities.”
“My journey with the Youth Institute has taken me to places I never imagined I would be a year ago. I was inspired to adopt a global perspective and began with the idea of conducting research in Tanzania, specifically focused on a tribal community. I ended up researching the Maasai Tribe, learning about their perspective through 4 A.M. Zoom calls with international NGOs and conducting surveys and interviews. Most importantly, I learned about the impact that curiosity and intellect can have on inspiring changemakers, as I have seen with my lifelong friends whom I met through the program and who presented their own research. I could not have made the impact I have made today or aspired to continue with my research journey in college without the tools and support from the Youth Institute program,” added Hlinka.
Maria Mueller, a senior from East Brunswick High School, saw the immense value of being able to interact with global leaders and peers and opening her worldview.
“One thing that impacted me during the trip was the immersion experiences. Prior to the trip, I only perceived Iowa as an agrarian state, and I didn’t realize how much of a role it had with conducting food research. This was an insightful experience, and the Global Youth Institute is definitely an event that shapes pre-conceived notions.”
“My favorite experience was the meal packing event in collaboration with Rise Against Hunger. I found it inspirational that we were directly involved in preparing food for global communities, and it was especially fun working together with other delegates to package as many meals as we could,” added Mueller.
The WFP Global Youth Institute has left her inspired. “This experience solidified my desire to work within the government. I want to contribute to policies that economically, environmentally, and socially benefit people, and I hope to continue Norman Borlaug’s vision for ending world hunger.”
L-R: New Jersey high school students who attended the 2024 Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, pose with event props: Kareena Singh, Ayliana Hernandez, Nathan Noel, Marissa Duarte, Julia Yi (a 2023 delegate who attended this year as a Global Guide), Alina Sinchi, Sean Foggan, Ava Ulland, Alaina Manzano-Hernandez and Maria Mueller.
