The Colorado GROW Youth Institute at CSU Spur empowers high school students across the state to be hunger heroes. Connect with peers and leaders across the state to explore, research, and propose solutions to solve food insecurity and hunger at home and around the world.
SAVE THE DATE
The 2027 Colorado GROW Youth Institute will be Tuesday, April 13, at CSU Spur. Join the mailing list to stay up-to-date.
By 2050, we’ll need to feed more than 9 billion people more efficiently and with fewer resources than we do now.
Scientists are learning more about technologies like agrivoltaics, drone imaging, greenhouses, and more to help farmers and producers grow food more efficiently.
Veterinarians, climate scientists, and others are investigating how to make the meat we eat more sustainable and climate-friendly.
Leaders are examining how to ensure that policies and practices around the world support sustainable food systems.
How to be a hunger hero
RESEARCH AND WRITE
- Work with a mentor – whether they’re a teacher, club leader, coach, advisor, or parent. They’ll help advise you through the process.
- Explore a country and unique food insecurity challenge in your global challenge research paper.
PROPOSE A SOLUTION
- Use critical thinking skills to consider and propose solutions – whether they’re small or large.
- Take action and consider what you can do to make this solution a reality.
SHARE WITH OTHERS
- Build leadership skills by presenting your ideas and incorporating feedback.
- Learn from peers and experts about a variety of food insecurity challenges and solutions from around the world.
By participating in GROW, you can:
Be considered for a scholarship
Top students who submit papers and participate in Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day at CSU Spur will be selected to receive scholarships to the CSU College of Agricultural Sciences or CSU Pueblo. Schedule a visit or tour of CSU today!
Become a Borlaug Scholar
The World Food Prize Foundation awards students who complete the Colorado GROW Youth Institute as Borlaug Scholars, named after Dr. Norman Borlaug who founded the World Food Prize Foundation and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to food insecurity around the world.
Join the Colorado GROW Youth Advisory Council
The Youth Advisory Council supports young leaders in making an impact locally in Colorado. It is open to alumni of the Colorado GROW Youth Institute and other youth who have shown leadership in tackling hunger and food insecurity. Members act as program ambassadors, build leadership skills, and guide the future of the institute.
Be selected to attend the Global Youth Institute
Top students from each youth institute across the U.S. and around the world will be invited to be a delegate at the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa each October. During this three-day program, young leaders interact with Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates and more than 1,000 global leaders from 65 countries. Learn more about Colorado student experiences.
Qualify to apply for Borlaug-Ruan international internships
Participants in the Colorado GROW Youth Institute are eligible to qualify for this unique internship opportunity to work with scientists and policymakers at research and development organizations around the world.
Qualify to apply for USDA Wallace-Carver Fellowship
Participants of the Colorado GROW Youth Institute are eligible to apply for a paid fellowship opportunity with scientists and policymakers across the United States Department of Agriculture.
Who we are
Hosted each year at the CSU Spur campus, the Colorado GROW Youth Institute is a World Food Prize Foundation-affiliated program.
The International Agriculture team at the College of Agricultural Sciences at CSU coordinates the institute. Reach out to Aryn Baxter or Rebecca Popara Lorenzo if you have any questions.
Frequently asked questions
Research project and paper questions
Yes!
- CSU Libraries’ GROW Youth Institute research guide.
- Research paper instructions and samples, submission guidelines, and registration information.
- Find inspiration for your global challenge research by exploring the global challenges that CSU researchers, alumni, and faculty are making around the world on the CSU Impact map.
- Check out papers submitted by past Global Youth Institute participants (click on the year and then the student name to access example papers).
Yes, mentors are required to participate in the GROW Youth Institute. Teachers, counselors, club leaders, advisors, parents, or other trusted adults make excellent mentors. Please reach out to the GROW coordinators if you need help finding a mentor.
No. If your school or class doesn’t offer participation in the Colorado GROW Youth Institute, you can participate as an individual. We require that you work with a mentor to help guide your research and help provide feedback on your project.
No. Research and papers should be worked on individually, with peers and mentors providing feedback or suggestions as appropriate. You will have the opportunity to share your research and proposed solution at Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day.
Check out the CSU Libraries’ GROW Youth Institute research guide as well as research paper instructions and samples, submission guidelines, and registration information from the World Food Prize Foundation for more information.
Papers must be submitted via the paper submission link on the World Food Prize Foundation webpage by the paper submission deadline. If you plan to attend, but you haven’t completed your paper yet, please make sure to register before spots fill up! Note that the deadline for paper submissions is two weeks after the GROW Youth Institute Day registration deadline.
You can choose any country around the world. Consider if there’s a region you’re interested in, don’t know a lot about, or want to learn more about. Still stuck?
- Speak to friends and family and ask them what countries might interest them and why.
- Think about somewhere you’ve traveled, would like to travel, or a country where someone you know comes from – maybe even members of your own family!
- Find inspiration for your global challenge research by exploring the global challenges that CSU researchers, alumni, and faculty are making around the world on the CSU Impact map.
For the purposes of the Colorado GROW Youth Institute research paper, please focus on one country.
Researching and incorporating an overview of a typical family experience in the country you have chosen is a required part of your research paper. You do not need to contact a specific family. However, if you have personal connections or relationships with a family, consider using this to help frame the importance of your research in your paper.
Use MLA or APA citations for your paper. CSU Libraries has more information on citations and research resources.
All students who register and submit their papers by the deadline are invited to join for Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day. All participating students will also be recognized as a Borlaug Scholar and learn more about participation and applications to internship and fellowship opportunities. Only a small percentage will be selected based on the quality of their research paper and presentation to attend the Global Youth Institute as a Colorado delegate.
Following the Colorado GROW Youth Institute, a panel of experts will review all research papers and roundtable presentation scores from the Colorado GROW Youth Institute. A small percentage of finalists will be invited to attend the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa.
Students will receive feedback on their papers and presentations from peers and roundtable experts at the GROW Youth Institute Day as well as from the World Food Prize Foundation Board of Reviewers following the event. Students are also encouraged to work with their mentors to incorporate edits and feedback before submitting.
Please include the correct topic, country, and paper information with your final paper submission.
Students will be placed in small groups with a handful of experts for a casual presentation and conversation of their research at Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day and at GROW Regional events. Each student will have a few minutes to summarize their research and proposed solution, followed by a few minutes of questions and conversation with the rest of the group. These are meant to be conversational and engaging sessions – take the opportunity to learn from your peers and ask questions! Presentation slides or visuals are not required.
Students are encouraged to wear what they are comfortable in – casual school attire is acceptable. You are welcome to dress up if you would like to do so.
Mentor and educator questions
Mentors provide guidance and support to their mentees throughout the process of completing a global challenge research paper. Effective mentorship practices include learning about and sharing resources available to complete the global challenge research with your mentee, checking in regularly to address questions and encourage progress, and reaching out to the GROW Youth Institute Coordinator with any questions. Mentors are not required to be teachers – teachers, counselors, club leaders, advisors, parents, or other trusted adults make excellent mentors.
While mentors are not required to attend the GROW Youth Institute Day along with their student(s) they are encouraged to do so.
Only mentors who attend the Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day will be considered as potential chaperones to accompany the Colorado delegates to the Global Youth Institute event.
There are a variety of ways to become a mentor. In some cases, you might become a mentor by agreeing to support a student who approaches you with an interest in completing a global challenge research paper. If you are an educator in the formal education system (grades 9-12), you might wish to consider integrating the global challenge research paper into your curriculum as a class assignment or extra credit opportunity. Other mentors work with students outside of the classroom (in afterschool clubs, etc.) to support the global challenge research process.
Yes. While registration is open, please make sure to register as a mentor or educator.
Please ask the student(s) you are mentoring to include your name when they register to participate in the Colorado GROW Youth Institute Day. We will add all mentors included in the registration process to our mailing list to keep you updated on future events.
Additionally, you can sign up for our mailing list yourself.
Thank you to our sponsors and supporters
KAREN SCHLATTER
Director, Colorado Water Center
Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
TOM VILSACK
Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.
He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.
Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Spur!
CSU Spur is hosting its first Fourth of July party! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on July 4 for a live DJ, local barbecue, activities for kids, and a view of celebrations across the city from the Terra rooftop.
Tickets are $5.
We’ll see you Saturday!
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (July 11), and this month, the theme is Wonderful World of Water. Explore hands-on activities focused on watersheds, aquatic ecosystems, water conservation, and the journey water takes from mountain snowpack to our homes, as well as agua frescas, the Westernaires, a river clean-up, the Market at the Center, and more!