“My favorite lecture touched on the idea of gene editing and revolutionary technology of CRISPR-Cas9. I still remember the intense debates we had on the ethics of altering our genome and the implications of such technology. Each person was ready to share their own ideas, and while we didn’t all agree, we certainly listened to one another and respected each idea. This kind of respectful discussion and exploration of science also facilitated fantastic seminars and impactful research projects.”

“YYGS has captured the attention and imagination of high school scholars around the world like me, and I will be forever grateful for this rich experience.”

As the president of the environmental club at my school, I have begun networking with the CLEO Institute, a non-profit that works hand in hand with youth activists in Miami to educate and promote an informed and engaged public that supports climate action everywhere. The new GenCLEO empowerment movement engages and empowers high school and college students, as well as young professionals, to take climate action.

“Before YYGS, I’d traveled quite a lot, even living in India for two years. But, the majority of that travel was as a tourist—sight-seeing, going to museums, watching plays—meaning that I was constantly surrounded by others that were also there to observe the culture rather than take part in it. YYGS allowed me to do the latter—I was no longer a “tourist of culture,” but actually got to know people from those cultures and the ways in which we were different and alike.”

“My favourite lecture was “Cooperation, Competition and Conflict” by Tedd Wittenstein. I learned how Russian cyber threats to the American government affects their political relationship, and we explored how cyberspace is a big part of the life of every individual.”

“YYGS taught me that the solution is within us as a society and that we have the key to solve every problem.”