Three high school students from Wisconsin recently returned from the Global Youth Institute (GYI), where they represented the state. The institute, held during the World Food Prize International Symposium, gathers students, educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide to discuss solutions to hunger and poverty.
Riya Kalluvila, a student at Hartford Union High School, shared her experience. “The most special part about this experience is realizing that the world is bigger than just your community or state,” she says. Kalluvila presented on malnutrition in Yemen.
Along with Kalluvila, the Wisconsin delegates included Hannah Lee from Middleton High School and Kai Mavity Maddalena from Étude High School in Sheboygan.
The Wisconsin delegates were chosen at the tenth annual Wisconsin Youth Institute (WYI) event, held by the UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) this past April. To attend, students research and write a paper on a global food security issue. They then present and discuss their research with peers, faculty, and also graduate students.
Students at the GYI are eligible for internships and fellowships. Kalluvila, who attended both the 2023 and 2024 WYI, was selected for the Borlaug Ruan International Internship. This past summer, she traveled to Hyderabad, India. There, she conducted plant research at the World Vegetable Center.
“Being selected for this internship was a dream come true,” says Kalluvila. “My time in India deepened my understanding of environmental challenges and the innovative solutions being developed. These experiences strengthened my resolve to pursue a career focused on sustainable solutions.”
For more information, visit the Wisconsin Youth Institute website.
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