MUSCATINE, Iowa,–Looking for a way to help students see the connections between biology and agriculture and how innovative thinking in both fields can help address world issues such as food insecurity and climate change, Susan Clark Junior High School science teacher Pam Joslyn reached out to agriculture teacher Ashley Wiebe for suggestions. From her, Joslyn learned about the Iowa Youth Institute, a one-day conference hosted by the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the World Food Prize Foundation. Intrigued, Joslyn had her students work through the process of researching and writing the papers needed to participate in the Institute, giving them profound interdisciplinary experiences along the way.
Over the course of nine weeks, students spent time immersing themselves in researching food insecurity in countries they chose and finding solutions to them. After picking a country, students spent time finding basic information about them, such as their populations, climates, geographies, and forms of government. They then delved deeper to learn about the lives of typical families and the food insecurities they may face. Based on what they learned, students chose broad topics, such as access to education or agriculture, and how they related to food insecurity in their countries. Finally, students proposed solutions to their issues and looked at their strengths and weaknesses. Students wrote about 1,500 to 2,000 words and practiced citing sources correctly internally and through a bibliography.
After completing their research papers, 44 of Joslyn’s 49 students elected to attend the Iowa Youth Institute April 24. Because arranging school bus transportation outside Muscatine presents logistical challenges, Joslyn worked with United Way of Muscatine to charter a bus to take the students to Iowa State University in Ames.
At the Institute, attendees heard former Iowa governor and current World Food Prize President Terry Branstad and a student speaker talk about food insecurity. In smaller groups, students participated in informal roundtables, where they shared their research with their peers. Because junior high school and high school students may participate in the Iowa Youth Institute, Joslyn’s eighth graders got to see work done by current seniors, giving them a taste of their futures. “It’s really good for them to see where they can be in four years,” Joslyn reflected.
Pam Joslyn’s eighth grade biology students at the Iowa Youth Institute. Photo courtesy Pamela Joslyn.
The Iowa Youth Institute also got students thinking about their postsecondary education. Any student who participated in the Institute will receive a $1,000 scholarship to Iowa State University if they choose to attend. Additionally, students got to tour the campus, getting an early idea of daily life there.
A positive experience, Joslyn felt glad that so many of her students participated in the Iowa Youth Institute. “I was overall impressed by the quality of the papers and the quality of the work,” she said.
She hopes future junior high school science classes can continue to incorporate preparing for and attending the Institute into their curricula because it allows students to explore real issues that affect everyone and realize they can have a role in solving them. “There are creative solutions to the problems that exist,” Joslyn emphasized. “This was a positive outlet to learn about this.”
