Power of Good

T PowerofGood.com | Winter 2014 11 thE alabama wildlifE foundation (awf) is working to turn today's students into tomorrow's stewards of our state's abundant natural resources. AWF recently broke ground on its new NaturePlex, which Executive Director Tim Gothard said will allow the foun- dation to reach many more students. "The young people who visit will become the adults of the future and will be responsible for the use, management and protection of our resources," Gothard said. "To be in the best position to make these decisions, students need to have access to a center such as the NaturePlex." The NaturePlex, which will be at the Alabama Nature Center at Lanark in Millbrook, is slated to open in fall 2015. It is the latest example of the extensive partnership between AWF and the Alabama Power Foundation, which exposes today's students to the importance of conservation education. The NaturePlex will serve as AWF's official welcome and education center. The 23,000-square-foot, $5.5 million facility will include: a 100-seat theater/ auditorium equipped with the lat- est technology, a discovery hall with interactive nature displays, classrooms with a lab facil- ity that will accommodate 60 students, a gift shop with outdoor merchandise and offices for Alabama Nature Center staff. Alabama Power and AWF continue to build conserva- tion education opportunities across the state for all ages through a number of partnerships. For two decades, the Alabama Power Foundation and AWF have been committed to providing support for dynamic stewardship and increas- ing the resources available to students. The Students to Stewards grant program is a natural extension of the Alabama Power Foundation's dedica- tion to helping improve the quality of life in our state, in addition to helping AWF's outdoor classroom efforts. This program helps students improve learning and retention, reduces disci- pline issues and allows them to enjoy learning. Matt Bowden, vice presi- dent of Environmental Affairs for Alabama Power, is on the AWF board of directors. "Partnering with AWF to help teachers apply for these grants was an easy decision. We are both dedicated to making outdoor From Students to Stewards STORy By SARAH REID HARRIS PHOTO COuRTESy OF ALABAmA wILDLIFE FOunDATIOn The Alabama wildlife Foundation's naturePlex will allow it to teach more students about the importance of conservation education. STUDENTS continued on page 13 The groundbreaking ceremony for the NaturePlex took place earlier this year.

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