In the fertile grounds of Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy, students and staff grow almost as quickly as the arboretum. Although a combined effort, one man is the driving force behind the school’s evergreen thumb – Andrew Kearns.
Kearns has worked daily to educate and protect the native wildlife of South Florida. A teacher of 32 years, Kearns has used his curiosity in flora and fauna to drive his projects such as the Million Orchid Project.
Several contributors shared his vision and funded his endeavors. Fairchild Botanical Garden has partnered up with Kearns to grow the Cowhorn Orchid (Cyrtopodium punctatum) and observe their growth within the school environment.
This year Kearns has moved to a larger lab with the help of the Lowe’s Toolbox For Education grant, Foundation for New Educational Initiatives, and the National Wildlife Foundation. Receiving around $10,000, he has expanded the shade house, created a new botany lab, and maintained the arboretum.
There’s more room for growth and with his aspiration to study other endangered species and spread his message of “Malama Honua,” Hawaiian for “Care for Island Earth”.