The Spirit of Alexandria Foundation supports all of the things essential to Alexandria Bennett - the wonder of nature, the quest for knowledge, the potential of life and the beauty and interest in everything around us. She had a voracious appetite for knowledge and had an understanding of many things beyond her young age.

We, her family and friends, have pledged through the Foundation to continue her quest by helping others experience the wonderment she felt and vision she had to help others through education and scientific understanding of nature. The Foundation will work in cooperation with partners in the places that she loved, both close to home and across the country, to fund projects that make nature more accessible to children or individuals with special needs within the meaning of section 501(c)(3).

One of our initial projects include planting a natural garden at the Charyl Stockwell Academy, a public charter school Alexandria attended, in Howell, Michigan. The garden will provide inspiration to children by allowing them the opportunity to learn about plants native to Michigan and to learn about the life cycle of butterflies in an outdoor class setting. (Picture below shows a chair made as a memorial to Alexandria at her school.)

We also provide annual scholarships to students in grades 7-9 to attend the Field Ecology Middle School Program at Teton Science Schools in Jackson, Wyoming. The students attend a 10 day residential educational adventure in the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Geo-ecosystem. They explore diverse wildlife and the various landscapes of the region with Teton Science Schools' instructors. Week one focuses on field ecology skills and includes a student-designed research project, while the last four days celebrate newly acquired knowledge and friendships by connecting to both nature and human communities. To date we have sent 8 deserving boys and girls. In 2008 we will be sending 2 students to the MSFEP and a deserving teacher to one of the programs at the Teacher Learning Center at TSS.

The foundation's primary focus is our Mobile Classrooms. Each bus would be outfitted to suit the needs of the area it is used in. The Mobile Classroom will be used as a tool to bring kids to nature in hopes of teaching them about the world around them and how to protect it now and for the future.

Currently we have a Mobile Classroom being used by staff at the Teton Science Schools (shown in picture below). This bus will also be used to transport members from different Indian tribes that participate in a Cross Culture Exchange Program in cooperation with Yellowstone National Park. In 2007 the foundation participated in this program which hosted the Crow Indians. Though we did not use our bus, we made arrangements for a bus and driver for their transportation throughout the park.

In 2008, the Spirit of Alexandria Foundation will continue with their relationship with TSS and the development of the Mobile Classroom. The goal in 2008 is to have a 2nd bus outfitted with moveable workstations as well as full seating options. Ultimately, along with the rolling modules in the bus, we will have programs using a satellite system allowing for a live feed from the bus to classrooms around the country bringing the National Parks to any city.

Whether it is through ecology scholarships, taking kids to nature on the Mobile Classroom, or allowing children to visit the parks right in their classroom, we are continuing Alexandria's passion for nature and keeping her spirit alive.