World traveler learns about environment, meets live gopher tortoise and pine snake

On Feb. 7, 2011, Flat Stanley visited the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center in Freeport. Stanley enjoyed a morning of education along with Bay County’s Mowat Middle School students. Some of the morning’s events included a film on the hazards of plastics, an interpretive on aquatic animals and a tour of the exhibition hall.

While enjoying the morning with the students, Stanley met a live gopher tortoise and pine snake. Stanley also received hands-on education about Florida’s environment which included learning about wild hogs, beavers, Florida panthers, black bears and carnivorous plants.

Flat Stanley is an ongoing school project across the globe. It is based on the book ‘Flat Stanley’ by Jeff Brown about a boy who gets flattened by a bulletin board. Stanley learns that he can do many things such as folding himself up into an envelope and visit new friends. Students participate by creating a paper Flat Stanley with a personal message and send him on his journey. The student includes their address so Flat Stanley can find his way home.

This Flat Stanley was created by a boy named Genisis from Boca Raton, Fla. So far he has been to Tokyo, Seattle, Puerto Rico, Robbinsville, New Jersey and Santa Rosa Beach.

The E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center offers student curriculums that educate a better understanding of the environment; with its focus on the importance of biodiversity, ecosystems, conservation, preservation and restoration of our natural resources.

To learn more about the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center go to: www.eowilsoncenter.org

For more information about the Flat Stanley project, go to www.flatstanley.com