IFSC makes connections at the 2024 Iowa Youth Institute

Adam Shriver, Zach Couture, Luze Elzinga, Paul McCormick, Megan Kemp, and Jan Libby tabling at the 2024 Iowa Youth Institute.

Representatives of the Iowa Food System Coalition played a big role at the 2024 Iowa Youth Institute held on April 29 thanks to the organizing of Megan Kemp of Iowa State University Farm, Food, and Enterprise Development.

This annual event, organized by the World Food Prize Foundation, brought nearly 300 high school students from across Iowa to Iowa State University’s campus to present research papers on critical global food issues.

Adam Shriver of the Harkin Institute, Zach Couture of LSI Global Greens, Luke Elzinga of Des Moines Area Religious Council, Megan Kemp, Jan Libbey of IFSC, and Paul McCormick of Eat Greater Des Moines were all invited as "experts" to listen to and interact with students during their presentations and roundtable discussions.

Megan Kemp, Paul McCormick, Kaci Ginn of Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development, and Kiara Fish of Urban Iowa FEWS hosted an IFSC booth to introduce the students to the Coalition and food system opportunities right here in Iowa.

The group made sure Ambassador Terry Branstad, current President of the World Food Prize Foundation, was introduced to the Coalition!