Charles City’s Forsyth attends 2019 World Food Prize event

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Charles City FFA member Bronson Forsyth, a junior at Charles City High School, presented a paper at the 2019 World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute at Iowa State University in Ames on Monday.

The World Food Prize is the foremost international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize.

The World Food Prize annually hosts the Borlaug Dialogue international symposium and a variety of youth education programs to help further the discussion on cutting-edge global food security issues and inspire the next generation to end hunger.

Charles City FFA sponsor Bret Spurgin took Forsyth to the event on Monday. Forsyth presented and defended his paper about water scarcity in the country of Chad. He also attended a session on bio-security at the Iowa State Vet Labs.

Other area FFA students attending the event included Rockford’s Hannah Mahlstedt, Amber Reams and Jayden Joregensen, and Samantha Tolai of Nashua.

Monday’s Eighth Annual World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute brought together 304 students from 130 high schools to explore critical global food security issues and discover academic and career paths in STEM fields.

The Iowa Youth Institute has hosted participants from more than 71 percent of Iowa high schools since its inaugural event in 2012 and has been referred to as a unique and innovative event that inspires Iowa high school students to become global leaders.

“In gathering here for this event, I know that Dr. Norman Borlaug would want you to focus on the important mission of eliminating hunger around the world,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said at the event. “It was that objective that motivated him every day of his life.

“It was that mission that took him from his boyhood farm in Northeast Iowa to Mexico, India, Pakistan, China, Africa, and all around the world,” Reynolds said. “My hope for all of you is that, having been here today, you will carry with you a part of Dr. Borlaug’s legacy and that as a member of the next generation of young Iowans, you will commit yourself to continue your education, build your careers, and conduct your lives focused on that goal, that unites us all and makes us so very proud to be Iowans: using the power of science and STEM to feed the world.”