The University of Minnesota Morris is hosting 120 high school students and teachers from throughout west central Minnesota to learn more about local sustainability efforts as part of the Morris Challenge Rural Youth Institute, which will be held Nov. 9, 2022.
This interactive, one-day event will encourage students and their teachers to create connections and gain the “know how” needed to address the sustainability challenges in their own rural community.
Morris Challenge Rural Youth Institute participants will connect with UMN Morris faculty, staff, and students who care about sustainability, as well as experts from throughout the community who have helped in these efforts.
As part of the event, participants will tour the UMN Morris campus, the West Central Research and Outreach Center, and Fresha, LLC, a local carrot processing plant.
UMN Morris has been working for nearly 20 years to become a rural sustainability leader. The wind turbines, solar panels, and biomass gasification plant are obvious examples of the campus efforts to become energy self-sufficient. Morris has commitments, investments, policies, research, and curricula devoted to many areas of sustainability. But the campus depends on their partners to bring these efforts to fruition. The West Central Research and Outreach Center, the city of Morris, Stevens County, USDA-ARS North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory, and local businesses have all been part of these ongoing sustainability endeavors.
Morris Challenge Director Doug Reed said, “Youth voices are essential to creating thriving rural communities. As a public land-grant institution, UMN Morris is particularly well-positioned to support rural young people in exploring how to help their schools and communities start on their own sustainability journey.”
Area high schools that will be participating include: Bertha-Hewitt; Chokio Alberta; Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley; Hancock; Herman-Norcross; Kalon Prep; Kimball Area; Minnewaska Area; Montevideo; Parkers Prairie; Pelican Rapids; and West Central Area.
This event is funded in part by an Institute on the Environment Mini Grant.
For more details, contact Morris Challenge Director Doug Reed at dougreed@morris.umn.edu or 320.589.6453