High School - Educator Challenge - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

GRADES 9 to 12 | 2025-2026

Educator Challenge: Seeding the Future

YOUR CHALLENGE:

Native plants are more than just pretty greenery — they have evolved alongside local wildlife, forming relationships that provide food shelter, and habitat. With threats like climate change and rapid urbanization in South Florida causing large-scale losses, we need to get creative with how to support and expand native plant populations. To boost these vital and beautiful plants, we want you to outline a plan for a community seed exchange event to distribute native plant seeds across your own neighborhood. Your seed exchange event should be designed to empower participants to support ecological restoration while fostering community connection. The plan should be organized in the form of a digital presentation with 5-7 slides. Fairchild will also provide a set of seeds (one per school) at the Launch on August 23rd to assist with your planning and (optional) hosting of a seed exchange event. Educators do not need to implement their planned event but can optionally do so. Be sure to let us know if you hold the event! Download information as one page

✓ Submission Requirements:

5-7 slide digital presentation outlining seed exchange event plan that highlights your targeted audience, identification of species of seeds in packet provided and why that species is important to boost, and best timing of the event. You may also include other species of plants that you would like to add to your community seed exchange.

Digital Entry Form with seed exchange event plan attached

Include a title slide with your name, your school’s name, and text saying, “Educator Challenge: Seeding the Future” and “2025-2026″

On-time submission. Late submissions will be accepted with a reduction in points.

1 submission max from a high school teacher per school.

CHALLENGE RESOURCES: