What is the NC Youth Institute?

The North Carolina Youth Institute (NCYI) is a research and leadership experience for high school students interested in agriculture, food security, science, and global challenges. Students choose an issue affecting food and agriculture, research the problem, and develop an evidence-based solution with support from NC State mentors. The experience culminates at NC State University, where students share their ideas with researchers and professionals, explore hands-on science and career pathways, and are recognized as Borlaug Scholars through the World Food Prize Foundation.

How it Works

Youth choose a global food security challenge to investigate, then research and develop an evidence-based solution. They share their work through both a research paper and a scientific poster presented at the North Carolina Youth Institute.

Step One: Choose a Challenge
Explore a food security issue in a country that interests you. What part of the world are you passionate about? What does their food system look like? Investigate challenges and develop an evidence-based solution.

Step Two: Identify a mentor locally that really believes in you.
Research Mentorship: The NC Youth Institute is thrilled to offer a research mentorship for youth during the research and writing process. Each high school student is paired with a graduate student at NCSU and a cohort of students across NC interested in similar research topics. Cohorts meet virtually for research support, and then come together in the spring at the Institute! Students may participate in either a fall (September-December) or spring (January-March) research mentorship cohort. Students from both cohorts are invited to participate in the event in April.

Find a mentor locally. Or a mentor could be a teacher at your school, a 4-H club leader, a coach, FFA advisor or even a parent. They will help keep you on track and motivated to complete the paper.

Step Three: Present your Research at NC State
Bring your research to NC State University and share your ideas with researchers, faculty, graduate students, Extension, industry professionals and other youth from across North Carolina. You’ll present your work as a poster and roundtable oral presentation, receive feedback from experts, explore hands-on research, and learn more about college and career pathways in agriculture and STEM.

Why Participate?

Grow Skills

Strengthen the skills you will use in college, careers, and beyond. Through researching a global challenge and sharing your ideas, you will build experience in research, writing, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communicating complex ideas to others.

Experience Research at NC State

Go beyond the classroom and experience science at NC State. Explore research labs, meet faculty and graduate student researchers, participate in hands-on activities, visit local farms and discover the many STEM and agricultural careers connected to solving real-world challenges.

Become a Borlaug Scholar

All students who successfully participate in the institute are recognized as Borlaug Scholars, a globally recognized honor. This recognition allows students to apply for various internships and opportunities through the World Food Prize Foundation. Students are also eligible to attend the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, to present their research ideas on the global stage!