Environmental Action marks the end of The Fairchild Challenge 2012-2013 year. Staff are looking forward to the Teachers' Celebration Brunch and Awards Ceremonies!

The Fairchild Challenge staff members Marion Litzinger and Amanda Noble co-taught a teacher's professional development course, Basic Botany. Sixteen devoted educators set aside their Saturday to learn more about the science of plants: systematics, taxonomy, cytology, physiology, ecology, morphology, reproduction and fruit types.

On April 11th, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden hosted an Administrators' Reception in order to give school adminstrators a chance to visit our faciilities and chat about The Fairchild Challenge. For many, the highlight of the evening was a private butterfly release in the all-new Wings of the Tropics Exhibit in The Clinton Family Conservatory.

As part of The Fairchild Challenge, high school students created logos for the annual Baynanza clean up of Biscayne Bay. First, second and third place winners (along with two special merit recipients) were recognized at the opening ceremony at Haulover Beach Park on Saturday, April 20th.

Prospective Florida International University or University of Miami students, the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is accepting applications for the Lewis Vaughn Memorial Scholarships! Deadline: April 30th

Happy Earth Day!

During March and early April, our staff visited well over 73 school gardens, as part of the Gardens and Green Spaces Challenge. Popular plants included cilantro, basil, tomotoes, pentas, coonti, firebush and Mexican milkweed. Students expressed interest in sustainable practices, integrating garden edibles into snack and lunch times and maintaining habitats for native endangered species. Teachers focused on green spaces as outdoor classrooms and multidisciplinary tools.

On March 12th, 120 school students participated in Spring Environmental Immersion Day, now held at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Course topics for the day varied—agroecology, plant grafting, butterflies, botanical illustration, aquatic ecosystems, epiphytes and more!

On Wednesday January 9, The Fairchild Challenge for Elementary Schools hosted an Art Show at Fairchild’s Garden House Auditorium for the teachers and families of students who participated in Challenge 2: Art. Students were asked to create a drawing or painting of a federally listed threatened or endangered South Florida plant, and depending on grade level, had to include the common name, scientific name and listing status of their chosen plant. More than 350 art pieces were on display, and approximately 200 people attended the Art Show to celebrate these talented young artists!

Green Treasures workshop for students

Intergenerational interviews in three languages were held at FTBG to facilitate the Green Treasures ethnobotanical interviewing process.  The workshop included an introduction to ethnobotany by Fairchild's Community Outreach Coordinator, Kiki Mutis.  Students interviewed elders in groups from local communities in English, Spanish and/or Haitian-Creole.  More than 450 students participated in the workshops. 

Art workshop for middle and high school students

This half-day workshop, offered annually for students participating in the Art challenge, included an introduction to epiphytes by Fairchild's Collection Manager, Jason Lopez.  Students mentored by professional artists, refined drawing and photography skills and studied the theme of "air plants" at various sites throughout the Garden.  More than 100 middle and high school students participated in this event. 

Fairchild Challenge Plant Superheroes

More than 800 students, parents and teachers attended The Fairchild Challenge performances for middle schools in October, the kick off Event for Fairchild Challenge middle schools and students in Miami. Over two nights, the students presented their research on their plant superheroes; plants that can feed, cloth, heal and/or harm. Gumbo Limbo, Aloe, and Passion fruit are only a few of the various plants chosen and their properties turned into a skit or mini-musical performed by the creative students and their teachers or administrators. The winners of the performances will be announced in May at the annual awards ceremonies.

The Fairchild Challenge in Haiti

Recently two members of the Fairchild Challenge Team (Program Manager Marion Litzinger and Satellite Partner Coordinator Barbara Martinez) followed an invitation to Les Cayes, Haiti to present the Fairchild Challenge. In collaboration with the AmericanUniversity and the NationalBotanical Garden in Les Cayes, teachers and undergraduate students participated in the training on how to provide successful environmental education using the multidisciplinary environmental education program of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden as an essential tool.

Despite the devastation and flooding right after Hurricane Sandy, more than 60 students and teachers joined the training. Two of the most important issues discussed by the passionate agriculture and environmental science students addressed the deforestation and the non existing waste management in Haiti. NationalBotanic Garden will become a Satellite Partner and hopes to launch The Fairchild Challenge in 2013.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today that Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden was one of nine national organizations to be awarded their 21st Century Museum Professional Grants (List of funded projects).  With the funding, Fairchild will expand the successful Fairchild Challenge (FC) to additional partner sites and provide intensive training for current partner sites.  The FC is an innovative approach to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education that identifies and encourages talented young scientists through a multidisciplinary approach and competition.  Learn more...

Our welcome to Nicolas Espinosa, Fairchild Challenge Alumnus and student of Florida International University who has returned to work with us as a research intern this summer. His internship is being funded by a National Science Foundation  project on "Caribbean Cycads Biogeography, Conservation and Systematics." During this internship, Nicolas will be hosted by the herbarium of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (mentored by Dr. Brett Jestrow and Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega). Nicolas will gain experience in the use of optical microscopy techniques for systematics. 

Nicolas examines epidermal peels from Zamia floridana.

Celebrating Ten Years of Student Involvement

More than 175 people attended the 10th anniversary celebration of The Fairchild Challenge.  The March 24 event included a silent auction featuring 18 selected pieces of artwork by Challenge students of all ages (in pencil and mixed media).  Attending were teachers, parents, donors, Fairchild Garden Trustees, volunteers and supporters from the community. 

Over the last decade, The Fairchild Challenge has grown to over 120,000 K-12 grade students and teachers at more than 250 public and private schools.