Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden has a great website dedicated solely to the Fairchild Challenge.  If you want more information, see pictures, or find resources about Florida’s native plants, visit http://www.fairchildgarden.org/index.cfm?section=education&page=fairchildchallenge

1. *It has helped us develop an appreciation for our environment - at home, at school, and in our world.
   

2. *Our garden serves as an outside classroom for many teachers from all subject areas.  The art, math, science, and social studies classes are always out there learning.
   

3. *It has taught us about the importance of native plants to our community.
   

4. *It has instilled a sense of ownership in our garden - they created it themselves!
   

5. *It has taught us about the history and importance of the coontie plant.  It is because of this plant that we created our garden.
   

6. *With the $1,000 we won in the Challenge last year, we were able to purchase native plants, mulch, pavers, and wood for our school garden.
   

7. *It has inspired us to join other environmentally conscious contests such as Kids for Mother Earth sponsored by the Spanish Consulate and Clean Up and Green Up sponsored by the Miami-Dade County government.
   

8. *We have had the opportunity to welcome members of our community by hosting a garden ceremony during Dade Heritage Days last year.  This year even the mayor of Coral Gables visited our garden!
   

9. *Last year, our EFL Biology classes conducted a community survey on Bayside Marketplace and the effect pollution has on this tourist attraction.

1. *We created a butterfly garden using the plants recommended by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden which has attracted all kinds of pollinators.
   

2. *In our school garden, we included a xeriscape garden which teaches us about saving water. These plants do not have to be watered, we only watered them for the first three weeks.
   

3. *As part of our recycling campaign, we have to compost in the school garden. After we rake the leaves from the garden we place them in the compost and we use it later as an organic fertilizer.
   

4. *Our Energy Patrols, are in charge of monitoring the energy usage in the school. They conduct energy audits in the classrooms and promote energy tips  campaigns.
   

5. *This year, we started a school wide recycling program sponsored by the Green Team Recycling Company. Every classroom has a recycling box in which we are placing any type of paper. So far we have collected 941 pounds of paper in only two months!
   

6. *Our sixth grade science classes are participating in the Reclamation Project sponsored by the University of Miami. We have a student from UM who comes to the classrooms and performs experiments on biodiversity with our students.
   

7. *As part of community involvement, some Boy Scouts have volunteered to donate a solar fountain to our school garden. This project will teach us about the use of solar energy as an alternative way to reduce the use of fossil fuels.