Zane Trace sophomore Grace Jenkins is in 4-H, is an FFA member, plays soccer and is a cheerleader.
In her spare time, she’s researching ways to help combat Zimbabwe’s water scarcity.
Her work has resulted in her being one of six Ohio high school students named a Global Youth Institute delegate.
Through her research Grace proposed solutions that would alleviate water insecurity and improve public health.
“I was reading that they’re building dams but there’s not a lot of research and money to do that so I came up with the idea to build wells and boreholes,” Grace said, creating ways to collect rainwater during Zimbabwe’s rainy season, which occurs from October to March.
In a non-pandemic year, Grace would go to Iowa and present her paper to a panel of scientists and answer questions. This year, that process will be conducted virtually.
In some cases, students have been able to go to their area of interest to study.
“I would love to go to Zimbabwe,” Grace said. “It would be a little nerve-wracking but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Zane Trace FFA is a satellite program of Pickaway-Ross. In 2015, Zane Trace FFA member Mariah Cox was selected as a delegate and went on to be awarded an internship to study in India that summer.