SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

In addition to being the mayor of Alabaster, Mayor David Frings owns Fossil Site Science and Nature store.

Through his store, he acts as a science instructor by sharing his knowledge of fossils, minerals, plants and animals with people in the community.

Science has been his passion since childhood, and he often gives seminars at the store during scheduled birthday parties, team parties and scout meetings.

He also recently retired from his 30 year career with Southern Company to join Samford University as the director of their interpretive center at Oak Mountain State Park.

The interpretive center will be a lab with Alabama wildlife and plant life exhibits and available to college students, elementary and high school students and homeschoolers

Recently, a local group of homeschooling families completed a series of five monthly classes including classes about volcanoes and earthquakes, amphibians, fossils and identifying rocks and minerals.

The classes were not only educational, but also fun. One of the students was heard to say, &8220;When are we coming back for the next class?&8221; immediately after the first class.

Frings was able to keep the attention of students, even though their ages varied widely.