The Jr. MANRRS Leadership Institute allows students to explore opportunities that the University of Kentucky, specifically the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, has to offer. This two-day experience is open to students of all ethnic and racial backgrounds from across the state in grades 7-12. Staying true to the mission of MANRRS, promoting academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences, students are engaged in interactive workshop sessions and activities to encourage them to network and grow themselves as individuals and young professionals early. 

The Jr. MANRRs Leadership Institute is hosted by the University of Kentucky (UK) MANRRS Program and the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Office of Diversity in partnership with a team of 4-H Youth Development Agents and community leaders. The program is a gateway opportunity to develop students interested in STEM, agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. Through the MANRRS national society the program helps to enlighten students to future internship, career and educational opportunities to help them excel in and out of the classroom. Students were immersed in the theme this year of “Innovate to Elevate” with public speaking, impromptu, mock interviews and quiz bowl contests to challenge their knowledge and abilities. By participating in contest, the students compete to move on to compete nationally and hold state honors for Kentucky. Students also had the chance to participate in workshops that honed in on their skills to prepare them for the future. Tours around the college allowed them to interact with students across the state and question and learn from collegiate leaders within MANRRS and professionals within the college. 

This year, two students from Fulton County High School attended the conference. The conference provided an abundance of knowledge and tools to the students who were first time attendees. The panel of guests served as a testament of what hard work and dedication looks like. The workshops, tours and Opportunity Fair were educational and gave the teens insight into future career choices. The students spoke very highly of the event and was glad to see people whom look like them in professional roles as well as network. One student quoted that the conference inspired her to continue taking on leadership roles in high school and to expand her short term and long term goals.  She also stated, that she was going to look at other fields of study for future opportunities. The other student already had a desire to attend the University of Kentucky and it just fueled her fire to really want to come after she graduates due to the opportunities of Jr. MANRRS.