Fairchild Challenge Awards and Prizes
What awards and prizes can students and schools win?
To celebrate their hard work, top-placing students receive Fairchild Challenge medals, trophies, and/or certificates. Special Merit winners are also recognized. The top-scoring schools receive cash prizes, up to $2,500, to support their environmental programs.
Winners are recognized at the Fairchild Challenge Award Ceremonies in-person at Fairchild.
- Elementary Awards Ceremony: May 16, 2026 from 10am-12pm
- Middle School Awards Ceremony: May 16, 2026 from 2-4pm
- High School Awards Ceremony: May 14, 2026 from 6-8 pm
Individual entries submitted to each Challenge can be recognized with the following awards.
- 1st place
- 2nd place
- Special Merit (a special recognition based on an exemplary characteristic of the submission)
*Winners will receive a certificate and either an individual medal or group trophy (determined by if individual students or student groups/teams contribute to their entry)
| Award | Prize | Criteria |
| Fairchild Challenge Award | Framed Certificate | Schools that exceed a grade-band-specific Challenge point threshold (approximately 70% of maximum number of points a school can earn) Elementary Threshold: 1000 pts Middle School Threshold: 700 pts High School Threshold: 900 pts |
| Fairchild Challenge School of Excellence | Large Banner | Schools that earn the Fairchild Challenge Award for 5 years consecutively Accumulates so school can be recognized every 5-year increment |
| Seed Money Award | Framed Certificate and $500 | The (one) school that:
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| Award | Prize Money | Criteria |
Gold School | $2,500 | 1st place overall in a grade band (elementary, middle, or high school) |
| Silver Schools | $1,250 | 2nd & 3rd place overall in a grade band |
| Bronze Schools | $750 | 4th-10th place overall in a grade band |
Need help? Contact us at challenge@fairchildgarden.org
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