IMPORTANT NOTE: This Challenge is only open to MDCPS Schools selected for the 2026-2027 STEMLab Program

YOUR CHALLENGE:

In the late 1800s, as the railroad extended into Florida and more people moved south, orchids were plentiful and thriving. Since then rapid city development and the draining of the Everglades have caused native orchid populations to dwindle and many species have become endangered.  Fairchild’s Million Orchid Project along with Miami-Dade schools in the STEMLab Program have been working to reverse this and boost the number of native orchids in our communities.

Now your school gets to take part in this process through STEMLab and the Fairchild Challenge! For your school’s first STEMLab visit in the Fall, you will outplant native orchid species on your school’s campus that you will take care of and track their health throughout the school year. But planting and caring for these orchids won’t solve the problem by itself! We need more people to join this mission and become aware of how beneficial orchids can be to not only us, but to nature as a whole. 

To be the voice of your orchids, create a 1-2 minute Public Service Announcement (PSA) about how your school has joined the Million Orchid Project, how people have been the direct cause of the decline or orchids but can also be the heroes to bring them back, and why orchids are important to South Florida’s ecosystem and environment. Your PSA should inform your classmates, teachers, friends, and family in addition to the local community here in South Florida so that our native orchid populations can continue to bloom with our help!

Download information as one page with lesson plan – Coming Soon!

CHALLENGE RESOURCES:

• Mandatory In-person Teacher Workshop – August 6th, 2026
• The Million Orchid Project website 
• Million Orchid Project Slideshow
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