Fairchild Challenge at Phipps: Challenge #4

By Emily Johns, High School Program Coordinator

Thank you to all the schools who submitted entries for our fourth Fairchild Challenge of the year.  For this challenge, both middle and high school students created their own games! 

Playing games is not only entertaining, but is also a great way to practice creative problem solving, learn about something new, or share something you’re passionate about with others.  For the middle school challenge, Nature for the Win! students themed their games around natural phenomena that they found intriguing.  The high school students drew attention to environmental issues in their challenge titled, Saving the Planet…Are You Game?  Both middle and high school students produced games that were creative, informative and great fun!

Because school closures have impacted schools in different ways, we decided not to judge this challenge.  Instead, participating schools each received a set number of completion points.  Thank you to all the students, teachers and families who put in extra effort to participate in this challenge.

Enjoy a selection of student games below:

Middle School

Ambridge Area Middle School: Take A Chance With Nature by Emma Wenum and Brenna Gerle

Archangel Gabriel Catholic School: A Bee’s Journey by Eve Amendola, John Cavicchia, Nicholas Ewanco, Benjamin Gurtner, Tamia Hall, Ella Hoffman, Elise Hornyak, Jake Johnson, Alexis Kolocouris, Kailyn Lach, Dylan Luchini, Finnian McGarvey, Hailie Miller, Richard Murray III, Lidia Oldak, Kaitlin Pozo, Giovanni Raubaugh, MarinReinhardt, Brady Rooney, Sophia Saginaw, Matthew Sawayda, Alexa Schmitt, Leo Shorthouse

Freeport Area Middle School: An Animal’s Journey by Ashley Arner, Braden Behune, Lorelei Buterbaugh, Megan Grolemund, Luke Hassler, Anne Lindsay, Evan Ozimek, Sarah Reyer and Ava Slaughenhoupt

Ingomar Middle School: Animals VS. PLANTS by Alex Costa and Ocean Clean-Up Board Game by Chloe Karsman

Keystone Oaks Middle School: Space Mania! by Brayah Dennis and Salaha Suleyman

Penn Middle School: Ethan Goldsworthy, Caeley Simon, Adithri Pingali and Eliza Kleinschmidt

St. Philip School: Nature Clue

Trafford Middle School: Endangered Earth by Ceci Doughty, Mya Malloy, Mackenzie Cox, Angelous Goodwin

Woodland Hills Intermediate: Race to the Beach, The Turtle-ly Awesome Board Game by Mackenna Matthews, Ella DeVore, Lillian Divelbiss, and Elizabeth Geyer

High School         

Central Catholic High School: Noid Ling: The Board Game by Jack Sabo, Anthony Frank and Beckam Alger

North Allegheny Intermediate High School: EARTH VIRUS by Mirae Choe, Venice Lin, Karen Shamir, Hannah Shin and Karis Lu

Norwin High School: EcoHome by Austin Kellar and Gabriella Conley

Penn-Trafford High School: footprint by Sydney Herman, Kate Malley, Mark Harris, Tali Brobst, Dakota Dandrea and Delena Steimer

Shaler Area High School: What Do You EnvironMeme? by Jamie Eichmiller, Caitlin Fedorek, Alyssa Juzwick, Olivia Jarynka, Hannah Coleman, Anna Sheets and Reecca Schiavone

West Mifflin Area High School: Pollution Solution by Shyanne Brown and Todd Harrison

Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School: Environmental Risk by Jilliam Lenosky, Caden Ferita, Isaac Hess, Jillian Jones, Joseph Lawrence and Costello Keen

Have questions? Contact Emily Johns at ejohns@phipps.conservatory.org or 412/622-6915, ext. 6936.

Developed by the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, Fl., and adopted by Phipps as a satellite partner in 2008, The Fairchild Challenge offers a menu of interdisciplinary challenges for grades 6 – 8 and grades 9 – 12, attracting students of diverse interests, abilities, talents and backgrounds. The Challenge empowers young people to engage in civic life and encourages them to become energetic and knowledgeable members of their communities.