🏞️Flat Stanley Visits Alabama

Adventures in Industry, Academia, Nature, and Family

✉️ The Day Flat Stanley Arrived

When I picked up the mail that day, I noticed an envelope from my beloved niece Dahlia, from Florida. I wasn’t quite sure what was inside… but the moment I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes!

There he was: Flat Stanley, carefully folded alongside a sweet handwritten letter. Dahlia had chosen me for this special project — and I felt incredibly honored. She trusted me to take Stanley on an adventure, show him around Alabama, and hopefully give him something fun to report back to her class.

I looked him over — arms wide open, with a friendly grin, a bright red shirt, blue jeans, and a polka-dot tie that made him look ready for just about anything. He was better than I imagined — and clearly ready for a fun adventure.

Right then and there, I promised to take him somewhere interesting, to learn something new, and to have a little fun while we were at it. Our adventure had begun.

🏫 A Warm Welcome at Shelton State

Flat Stanley began his visit at Shelton State Community College, where I teach. He quickly became a campus celebrity—fellow instructors and students recognized him and stopped by to share memories of their own Flat Stanley projects. He even took a photo with the campus clock tower, a local landmark and favorite meeting spot.

🛠️ Fun Fact: Shelton State offers hands-on training in all kinds of careers—like automotive repair, welding, robotics, nursing, and even cosmetology. Some students learn how to style hair and apply makeup, while others learn how to fix engines or wire buildings!

🐘 Meeting Big Al

Flat Stanley got to visit the University of Alabama, where we stopped to see the elephant-shaped topiary modeled after the university’s famous mascot: Big Al!

🐘 Why don’t elephants use computers?
Because they’re afraid of the mouse! 😄

🏈 Fun Fact: Alabama’s football team, the Crimson Tide, is one of the most successful in history. Their players are often compared to elephants for their power and unstoppable momentum!

🔋 Talking About the Future of Cars

We weren’t just there for fun—Flat Stanley joined me for a meeting about electric vehicle manufacturing, one of the fastest-growing industries in Alabama. He may be made of paper, but he was charged up with curiosity!

⚡ EV Fun Fact:
Electric vehicles don’t need gasoline. They run on powerful batteries and make very little noise. Alabama now helps build EVs that are shipped all over the world!

🔨 Steel, Stone, and the Story of Grandpa Dennis

Alabama is rich in natural resources like iron ore, coal, and limestone—the three ingredients needed to make steel. These resources helped Birmingham earn its nickname: “The Pittsburgh of the South.”

Flat Stanley explored this history through a visit to a quarry and the towering Vulcan statue, a tribute to the Roman god of fire and forge, who watches over Birmingham from atop Red Mountain.

👷 Family Tie: Dahlia’s Grandpa Dennis worked in structural steel design in Florida. He helped design and build schools, hospitals, airports, and shopping malls using steel sourced from Alabama and nearby states.

🚘 Driving Innovation at Mercedes-Benz

We also visited the Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) plant in Tuscaloosa, where I once worked as a high-voltage training specialist and buildability engineer.

Flat Stanley got a peek at how modern vehicles are made—from stamped steel panels all the way to final assembly. He even visited the area where we built electric vehicle bodies!

⚙️ Fun Fact: Alabama builds over 1 million vehicles each year—including models from Mercedes, Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota. Many are shipped all over the world!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Ties to Alabama

Alabama holds a special place in our hearts. Grannie (Thelma)—Dahlia’s great-grandmother—was born here before moving to Florida, where our family now lives.

Flat Stanley stayed with all of us: me, Lori, Bebe, and Dahlia’s cousins—John, Cameron, and Olivia. He quickly became part of the family!

🌿 Hiking Moss Rock Preserve

Flat Stanley explored Moss Rock Preserve in Hoover. This beautiful park is known for its sandstone glades, a rare ecosystem found only in this part of Alabama.

On our hike, we discovered:

• 🌵 A unique variety of prickly pear cactus

• 🍄 Polypore mushrooms growing on fallen logs

• 💧 A hidden waterfall deep in the woods

🌳 Nature Nugget:
Polypore mushrooms help decompose wood, turning it into soil.
Cactus in Hoover? Yep! These hardy plants survive by storing water in their thick pads.

🎣 Fishing at the Family Lake

Flat Stanley helped us celebrate John’s 25th birthday and move Cameron into his first house—which has a lake in the backyard! We went out on the dock and did some fishing, and Flat Stanley even caught a small fish (we released it, of course!).

🎉 He was also with us for Easter, joining in on our family traditions and spring fun.

🎣 Fun Fact: Backyard lakes like this are great for catching bream, bass, and crappie—especially with a classic Zebco 33 rod!

📚 Finals Week & Graduation Energy

Flat Stanley was also here during the busiest time of the semester—final exams and graduation prep at Shelton State!

He saw students studying hard, working on final projects, and getting ready to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.

🎓 Campus Life Fact: College students feel just as nervous (and proud!) about big tests and big accomplishments as younger