A Third Option: The Importance of Rural Students | Carson Miller | TEDxYouth@Okoboji

Today's rural students are presented with two options: stay in their small towns forever, or leave and never go back. This talk is about showing students a third option. I grew up in small town Iowa and left at 16 to travel and study and explore. It wasn't until I left that I realized the importance of my rural upbringing. I had experiences and opinions that were important in informing policy and advocating for rural America. In this talk I will share personal stories, failings, and epiphanies in an attempt to show why the world needs rural students. Carson Miller grew up in small-town Iowa, but she spent her childhood dreaming of ways to escape it. Then she attended the United World College in New Mexico, she met people from around the world and learned how important it is to be proud of where you are from. Carson has had many opportunities to travel the world, but she always comes back to Iowa. Now she studies International Agriculture and Rural Development at Cornell University. In her TED Talk she will discuss her passion for empowering rural students to build rural communities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx