Lazarus Lynch, a 4H student from Food and Finance High School in New York City was selected as one of four exceptional NY student finalists in the World Food Prize essay contest sponsored by the New York Youth Institute at Cornell University.
Lazarus was one of six NYC 4- students from three different clubs participating in the World Food Prize essay competition. Students worked hard all summer gathering research and putting together essays. Their hard work culminated this fall when they had the opportunity to present their findings to international experts, share their ideas with global leaders and tour Cornell University to meet students working to end hunger and improve food security.
As a finalist, Lazarus attended the Global Youth Institute in Des Moines, Iowa, in October along with Maryse Holly former NYC 4H Program Assistant (and current Cornell Graduate Student). Alongside 200 outstanding high school students from across the globe, Lazarus had the opportunity to interact with Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates and the more than 600 global leaders attending the World Food Prize’s annual international symposium.
"During my trip to Iowa last week, Lazarus report in his blog, "issues relating to food insecurity and disadvantages to small share-holder farmers and countless more issues were brought to my attention for the first time."
"I knew I could not have been the only one who was unfamiliar with these crises. It caused me to think about the intolerable degree of ignorance that glazes over the minds of many people today. It made me realize how uninformed people really were on where their food comes from, the lack of distribution of this food and the struggles encountered by those who produce it.”
The 4H program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of NYC is part of the Family and Youth Development program area. It has clubs and outreach to all five boroughs, strengthening youth’s knowledge, leadership skills and community service. 4H trains youth workers to reach community agencies, schools, churches and other group settings.
Listen to an interview with Jackie Davis-Manigaulte, Youth and Family Program Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of NYC, and Lazarus Lynch, on NPR's Science Friday.