The Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience Online or YCLE Online is an educational program for learners to explore cooperative businesses, careers in agriculture, and to develop leadership abilities in young ag leaders. The YCLE website provides curriculum to classroom teachers, educators, and community developers. The YCLE Online was made possible by a Youth Pathways grant from the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation.

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Center for Cooperatives comprehensively integrates the teaching, research and Extension programs of the College. The Center creates and extends knowledge to emerging and existing cooperatives in Ohio and beyond. Learn more about the CFAES Center for Cooperatives.

Ohio Farm Bureau is a grassroots membership organization that works to support Ohio agriculture and the state’s food and farm community. Learn more about Ohio Farm Bureau.

YCLE Online was adapted from an in-person pilot project in 2019. During an immersive two-day experience, students visited The Ohio State University and agricultural cooperative businesses in the region, where they experienced college-style learning opportunities, engaged in hands-on leadership and teambuilding activities, discovered educational and career paths in agriculture, and connected with cooperative leaders. To learn more about the inaugural YCLE, download a report describing the program.

To explore future in-person YCLE opportunities, contact us at osucooperatives@osu.edu.

Students in the inaugural Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience in 2019 visit Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Students in the inaugural Youth Cooperative Leadership Experience in 2019 visit the Ohio State University Animal Science Department Meat Lab.