A Group Of Glass Trophies — Anyone can make a nomination and winners will be publicly honored on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, as part of the second Eagle Awareness Weekend at Lake Guntersville State Park. (Alabama State Parks)

Alabama State Parks is seeking nominations for its prestigious Eagle Awards.

The ninth annual award program recognizes special contributions to Alabama’s 21 state parks.

The Eagle Awards are presented in the following five categories:

Elected Official
Community Partner
Park Partner
Volunteer in Parks (VIP)
Youth (12th-grade students and younger).

The deadline to submit nominations is set for Jan. 3, 2025. Nominations are made online at: www.alapark.com/eagle-awards.

Last year’s State Park heroes winners

Last year, the Raptor Ridge Wildlife Education, a nonprofit organization based in Eclectic, Alabama won the Community Partner Award.

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth and State Rep. Danny Crawford was honored for their legislative accomplishments on behalf of State Parks.

The youth awards honored Jackson Colley, a senior at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City and Kendra Glover, a freshman at Albertville High School.

Nature educators Jimmy Stiles and Emily Duke were recognized in the Volunteers for Parks category, while Shoals resident Dan Hendricks received Parks Partner award for helping launch the Alabama State Parks Foundation.

Alabama State Park’s Eagle Awards

“We truly believe in our motto: ‘Partners Pay the Way,’ and the Eagle Awards gives us the chance to thank some of our most meaningful and impactful partners. I can’t wait to see this year’s nominees.”
Alabama State Parks Director Matthew Capps

The winners will be honored on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, as part of the Eagle Awareness Weekend at Lake Guntersville State Park.

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