Teacher & Mentor Resources

As a mentor, you will work closely with the student as they complete their research paper. This can mean setting up a timeline to help your student stay on track, providing feedback on writing, connecting students to research resources, or any other way your student would like support. In addition, it is expected that you will attend the WYI on campus event.

Who can be a mentor? 

• Teachers or staff at the student’s school
• Guardians or family members 
• Tutors 
• Coaches
• Community members 
• A trusted adult over the age of 18

Mentors do not have to be affiliated with a school to participate. If you are an educator in the formal education system (grades 9-12), you might consider integrating the global challenge research curriculum as a class assignment or extra credit opportunity. Other mentors work with students outside of the classroom (in afterschool clubs, at home, at the library, etc.) to support the global challenge research process.

Yes. As a mentor, you can supervise as many students as needed or wanted. Please keep in mind that while attending the event on campus, you will be responsible for providing custodial care to the students you bring, and must meet the minimal chaperone required ratios according to our Office of Youth Protection. More information will be provided prior to the event.

Students who participate in the Wisconsin Youth Institute…

• Earn recognition as a Borlaug Scholar
• Are eligible to apply for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship, and World Food Prize Foundation Internships
• Strengthen communication and leadership skills
• Build connections with peers who are also passionate about food security, agriculture and sustainability
• Selected students and their mentors will be able to attend the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa

At this exciting event, participating high school students have the opportunity to:

• Present research and recommendations on ways to solve key global challenges in a short speech and small group discussions with statewide experts;
• Connect with other student leaders from across Wisconsin to share ideas, identify solutions to these problems and build lasting friendships;
• Explore the issues, current research and opportunities to make a difference at the University of Wisconsin; and
• Interact with leaders in Wisconsin working to end hunger and poverty and improve food security around the world.

1. Once you agree to be a mentor, you will support your student as they research and write their paper.
2. You will register under the teacher/mentor link, by TBD. *If you have multiple students participating, you only need to register once. The student will list their mentor on their registration form.
3. You will attend the Wisconsin Youth Institute with your student(s) at the UW-Madison campus TBD.
4. If your student is selected as a Wisconsin Youth Institute delegate to attend the Global Youth Institute, you will have the opportunity to travel and attend that event with them. Your participation and attendance is not required for your student to be able to attend GYI.

In collaboration with Steenbock Library at UW-Madison, we have created this research guide to help students get started with their research.

You can also review the Global Challenge Research Paper Instructions and Global Challenge sample paper for guidance.

The day of the Wisconsin Youth Institute, you will arrive on campus early in the morning for a brief welcome over breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m. Throughout the day, students will be grouped with peers from different interest areas and schools when possible to help them get to know more people and learn about other perspectives and issues related to food security.

Teacher/mentors help moderate some of the discussions throughout the day and are invited to participate in the immersion activities as well. For interested teacher/mentors, we will offer a tour of the CALS campus and can facilitate a work space for those choosing not to participate in the activities.

The general outline of the day looks like this:

8:30-9:00 Breakfast and registration

9:00-10:00 Welcome remarks and morning plenary session

10:00-11:45 Student roundtable and discussion

11:45-12:30 Lunch and poster judging

12:30-2:15 Immersion activity (optional CALS campus tour for mentors)

2:15-2:45 Afternoon plenary session

2:45-3:30 Borlaug Scholar ceremony and ice cream

3:30 Day adjourns

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 Madison, Wisconsin. Parking information will be provided to teacher/mentors prior to the event.

In compliance with UW-Madison’s Office of Youth Protection, regardless of age, no student is to attend the event without their mentor/chaperone, nor are students permitted to drive themselves to the event.

Each student should be prepared to provide a brief presentation of their research paper during the student roundtable and discussion portion of the day. Participants will be grouped with 6-7 other students, plus two staff moderators. Each student will have approximately 5 minutes to present, and visual aids are not allowed. Following each presentation, there will be a few minutes for discussion and questions from the moderators and peers. It is also expected that students actively listen and engage with their peers by asking follow up questions to their presentations.

During the presentations, the moderators will be listening for the following:

• Summary of the topic the student selected in the context of their chosen country
• Description of a typical family or community within their chosen country
• Analysis of the topic they selected, and their proposed recommendation(s) or solution(s)
• Description of a feasible plan to implement their proposed recommendation(s) or solution(s)
• The students passion for the topic and their ability to articulate and deliver their presentation

Global Youth Institute delegates are chosen based on their research paper and presentation. The number of delegates that represent each youth institute varies, Wisconsin typically selects 3-5 delegates to attend the Global Youth Institute. The top 3-5 students, and their mentors, will receive an email in the summer announcing their selection as a Wisconsin Youth Institute Delegate.

This is an optional event. Students and mentors do not have to attend. If a student wants to go, but a mentor does not, that is ok. If a parent or guardian wants to go instead, that is also acceptable. There are stipends for students to attend. Alternates are selected in the instance that additional space is available. The World Food Prize Foundation staff will work directly with students and their mentors/parents to plan travel to Des Moines, Iowa in October.

If a student is a senior when they participate in WYI, they are still eligible to attend and participate in the GYI in Des Moines, Iowa.

The World Food Prize Foundation has provided the following additional resources for teachers.

Global Teach Ag Network 

The Global Teach Ag Network offers a wealth of expertise and experience in the realms of teacher education, global agriculture, and international development. With a network of over twenty-five partner organizations, we bring together knowledge, resources, and best practices to empower educators worldwide. Through collaboration and shared expertise, we are committed to driving positive change through existing educational platforms.

World Food Prize Laureate Lesson Resources 

This webpage features lessons of 2019 World Food Prize recipient Simon Groot and 2023 World Food Prize recipient Heidi Kuhn. These lessons provide fantastic tools for inspiring students and engaging them in meaningful discussions.

Youth Programs Impact Report

In the summer of 2024, the World Food Prize Foundation launched an alumni survey targeting thousands of program participants, also known as Borlaug Scholars. Collected from 30 years of alumni, the data in this impact report reflects how these experiences have changed lives.