Twenty-five schools and nonprofit organizations across the state will receive conservation education grants through the Alabama Power Foundation’s “Students to Stewards” program.
The three grant winners in Etowah County are Ivalee Elementary School in Attalla, Keep Etowah Beautiful and Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation.
The Students to Stewards grants, totaling more than $40,000, are being awarded in celebration of 15 years of Renew Our Rivers, the nationally recognized river cleanup program created and supported by Alabama Power.
“Students to Stewards is a great example of the Alabama Power Foundation’s ongoing commitment to conservation education,” said Matt Bowden, foundation board member and Alabama Power’s vice president of Environmental Affairs.
Through a competitive application process, Students to Stewards provides support for educational programs designed to teach students about the importance of our state’s ecosystems. The program will help expand education initiatives designed to build awareness and appreciation for Alabama’s natural resources.
A range of projects are being funded through Students to Stewards, from out-door classrooms, to field studies, to the purchase of conservation-related classroom materials.
Other winners of the Students to Stewards grants this year are Alabama Wildlife Center in Birmingham, Anniston Museum Endowment Corp., Ashland Elementary School and the Clay County Board of Education, Blount County Education Foundation, Brookwood High School and the Tuscaloosa County School System, Childersburg Elementary School, Clay-Chalkville High School, Fayetteville School Foundation in Sylacauga, George W. Long Elementary School in Skipperville, Hidden Lake Elementary School in Dothan, Hollingers Island Elementary School in Mobile, J.B. Pennington High School Alumni Association in Blountsville, Lakewood Elementary Science Magnet School in Phenix City, Munford High School, Pearl Haskew Elementary School in Irvington, Pell City Board of Education Prattville Primary School, Sylacauga City Schools Board of Education, Tanner Williams Elementary School in Wilmer, Taylor-White Elementary School in Mobile, The Environmental Studies Center for Mobile County Public Schools, and The Southern Environmental Center, Birmingham-Southern College.
Conservation education is one of three focus areas for the foundation’s Brighter Minds initiative. Brighter Minds also focuses on strengthening early childhood learning, as well as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and workforce development.