Alabama Schoolchildren Receive Books Through Gift to UA’s Alabama Museum of Natural History

TUSCALOOSA, Ala . — Schoolchildren from eight counties in south Alabama are benefiting from a gift to the Alabama Museum of Natural History at The University of Alabama.

Representatives from the Alabama Museum of Natural History just returned from a visit to middle schools in eight Alabama counties to donate complimentary copies of the novel “Longleaf” as well as two episodes of the Alabama Public Television series “Discovering Alabama” on DVD.

The gifts are made possible by an anonymous donation to the museum in honor of Aaron Van Carpenter. Carpenter, a lifelong resident of south Alabama, was known for his kindness, generosity and integrity.

“Longleaf” was released to critical acclaim earlier this year by NewSouth Books. The donation to the Alabama Museum of Natural History was made specifically for delivering copies of “Longleaf” to middle schools in Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe and Washington Counties.

“Longleaf” is an adventure story for young adults set in a present-day Alabama longleaf pine forest. The plot revolves around 14-year-old Jason’s attempt to escape from harm after witnessing a crime committed by three brothers during a family camping trip in Alabama’s Conecuh National Forest.

The novel also aims to stimulate interest in Alabama’s longleaf pine forest, which used to dominate south Alabama, according to Mark Hainds, research coordinator for the Longleaf Alliance. “This novel is a fun story, and it’s also a remarkable introduction to the plants and animals of the forest,” he said.

The novel’s author, Roger Reid, is a producer for the popular “Discovering Alabama” series on Alabama Public Television, which is a production of the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

The “Discovering Alabama” DVDs include two episodes, “Longleaf Pine” and “Longleaf Ecosystem,” which will further educate Alabama’s youth about state longleaf forests.

“Roger’s connection to Discovering Alabama is what led to the donation being made through the Museum,” said Randy Mecredy, museum director. “The novel’s real-world, Alabama setting makes it a good fit for the educational outreach programs we do.”

Mecredy, Hainds and Reid traveled to each of the eight counties to present the novel and DVDs. “We couldn’t travel to all of the many schools,” Mecredy said. “But we did want to visit each county to emphasize the importance of this gift.”

Students and teachers at Daphne Middle School said they learned a lot from the visit. “I think the speakers were right,” said one of the Daphne students. “Most people do not know enough about the longleaf pine and its significance in our ecosystem. This is something young people should become more familiar with at an early age.”

Another Daphne Middle School student agreed. “I thought the topic was very focused and interesting,” she said. “It served as a good lesson in class regarding the longleaf. It is a topic that we can relate to and share with others.”