Medina’s FFA advisor participates in International Agriculture Conference

Press Release, Medina Central School

Provided photos: Todd Eick, Medina’s agri-science teacher and FFA advisor, attended an agriculture conference in Iowa.

DES MOINES, IOWA – Outstanding educators from 18 states and four countries convened in Iowa last month to participate in a unique professional development experience called the Global Guides program.

Hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation and the Global Teach Ag Network, the Global Guides brought educators together for conversations and innovative learning

opportunities with scientists, policymakers, and hunger fighters from around the world.

Todd Eick, agri-science educator at Medina, was selected to join the elite program that included 40 hours of immersive programming as part of the World Food Prize and the Norman E Borlaug International Dialogue, the premier global agriculture and food security convening.

Eick engaged digitally for two months of preparation before attending the Borlaug Dialogue, and will continue applying concepts in their communities over the next five months through

designing and implementing interdisciplinary global learning projects as an individual or team with other Global Guides.

“Words cannot begin to convey the experience,” Eick said. “It was personally and professionally one of the most powerful and inspiring opportunities I’ve had in my career as an educator. The global network and direct connections I was able to make will bring a new level of global ag education to our program that we have never had.”

During the Borlaug Dialogue, Eick and other Global Guides interacted with experts in food security, including 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kühn, author Roger Thurow, Australia’s Action For Agriculture Founder Lynne Strong, 2022 World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Cynthia Rozensweig, and 2018 World Food Prize Laureate Dr. Lawrence Haddad.

The World Food Prize Global Guides program was facilitated by faculty from the Global Teach Ag Network including Daniel Foster, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Pennsylvania State University, Melanie Miller Foster, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Pennsylvania State University, OP McCubbins, Associate Professor at Mississippi State University, and Tobin Redwine, Ph.D., Learning Strategist at Vivayic, Inc.

Foster, co-founder of the Global Teach Ag Network, explained the impact and importance of the Global Guides program.

“Educators are an invaluable component of fighting global food insecurity,” Foster said. “By situating educators as part of the conversation among scientists and world leaders, we bring global action to local contexts and see direct change.”

Global guides including Todd Eick (fourth from the left). Standing behind Eick in the white suit is Heidi Kuhn, this year’s winning laureate.  Ms. Kuhn’s efforts to turn minefields into vineyards through her Roots for Peace non-profit earned her the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate sculpture and $500,000 in prize money.