Alabama Extension’s Sand Mountain & Beyond is a career exploration initiative designed to help young people in northeast Alabama discover the many career opportunities available within their communities.

The program is open to 6th- through 12th-grade students in Blount, Cherokee, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson, Madison, and Marshall Counties. Throughout the year, selected students will visit and interact with businesses, farms, organizations, and agencies that work in the areas of agriculture, natural resources, food systems, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Through hands-on experiences, field trips, and interactions with industry professionals, students will get an inside look into those careers and the important roles they play in Alabama.

Fields trips and educational opportunities for the 2026-2027 program year currently include the following:

• Marshall County—Guntersville Marine, Tucker Milling, K Supply Company, and High Rock Farm
• Cherokee County—Davis Fish Farm, Coosa Valley Turf Farm, and Orbix Hot Glass
• DeKalb and Jackson Counties—Lake Majestik Farm, Valley Head Saddlery, and Little River Canyon
• Madison County—Piper & Leaf Tea Company, Aviagen, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Toyota Field, and Hubert Family Farms
• Lawrence and Morgan Counties (led by Cullman County)—Hubert Farms, Reeves Peach Farm, Vulcan Material, Dutch Oven Bakery, Fagerman Farm, and Redland Cotton

Participants

After an application process, Alabama Extension is pleased to welcome the following students as participants in the 2026-2027 Sand Mountain & Beyond program.

Blount County

• Tatum Abel
• Piper Baker
• Gavin Eads
• Kylie Sims

Cherokee County

• Camille Edwards
• Esmae Hale
• Samuel Hale

Cullman County

• Coleman McCuiston
• Kolton Storck

DeKalb County

• Clara Brooks
• Juliana Brooks
• Harper Frazier
• Brooklyn Moses
• Colson Moses
• Rowan Moses
• Gabreille Pierre

Etowah County

• Sable Beaird
• JehJeh Cervantes
• Hallie Owens

Jackson County

• Charlee Brandon
• Tiberius Hoksbergen
• Tanner Smith
• Ellie West
• Caleb Webb

Madison County

• Paisley Dunn
• Audrey Estes

Marshall County

• Lydia Beth Adams
• Rachel Grace Adams
• Rebekah Faith Adams
• Will Brock

Sponsors & Partners

A special thank-you to the Alabama Farmers Federation for their sponsorship of Sand Mountain & Beyond and the many partners of this initiative!

Sand Mountain & Beyond is made possible through collaborations with local farms, businesses, organizations, school systems, conservation agencies, and federal agencies across northeast Alabama. These partnerships are crucial to providing meaningful experiences that connect young people with the people, places, and careers that are shaping the future of agriculture and natural resources.

More Information

For more information on Sand Mountain & Beyond, contact Vanessa Roberts at vnr0001@auburn.edu or Matthew Webb at dmw0071@auburn.edu, or contact one of the eight participating county Extension offices. Contact information for county offices is available in the directory at aces.edu.