Georgia Youth Institute
About the Georgia Youth Institute
June 15-16, 2026
The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will host the inaugural Georgia Youth Institute on June 15-16, 2026. The Georgia Youth Institute serves as a qualifier for the Global Youth Institute, offered by the World Food Prize Foundation.
The Georgia Youth Institute is a transformative experience where high school students engage with local leaders and agriculture experts on critical global challenges, participate in hands-on activities and explore meaningful ways to make a difference in Georgia and around the world.
Students selected an agricultural- or natural resources-related topic and a country they don't live in, researched the country's demographics, how the issue impacts the country, and potential solutions to the issue.
Thirty students will participate in this year's Georgia Youth Institute. These students will participate in a two-day, immersive on-campus experience, where they will present their research in a Three Minute Thesis (3MT) contest. The top four will earn an all-expense paid trip to represent Georgia at the Global Youth Institute in October.
How to participate
Global Challenge Paper: To participate in the Georgia Youth Institute, high school students research an issue related to food security and write a paper under the supervision of a teacher or mentor.
Cost: There is no registration cost to participate in the Institute and meals will be provided during the event. However, both student and teacher/mentor participants must organize their own transportation to and from the event in Athens, Georgia.
Eligibility: Ninth through twelfth-grade students are eligible to participate in the Georgia Youth Institute. Student registration has closed for the 2026 event.
More Information:
Questions about the Georgia Youth Institute? Contact:
Jaky C. Childers