The Operation Outbreak educational platform, developed at Sarasota Military Academy (SMA), a local, public charter school, was recently named one of the world’s most innovative hybrid learning programs by a global educational awards program jointly organized by The Wharton School and QS Quacquarelli Symonds. SMA has been invited to attend the Reimagine Education Awards in London, England (8th-10th December, Queen Elizabeth II Centre). SMA Outreach Director Dr. Todd Brown will represent the Academy and present the Operation Outbreak (O2) program to 500 educational experts from across the world.

Sarasota Military Academy submitted an extensive application for this opportunity, focusing on the Operation Outbreak (O2) program, and was placed on the shortlist. The shortlisted applicants comprise the top 15% of applicants to the competition, including applications received from over 1500 educational innovators from 39 countries. The awards, which reward innovative approaches that enhance student learning outcomes and employability, offer $50,000 in funding to the overall winners.

“Operation Outbreak is a highly-exciting, highly-engaging example of how technology can be leveraged in ways that improve verisimilitude, learning engagement, and, most importantly, learning outcomes. Shortlisting Operation Outbreak proved an easy choice for both our independent judges and internal team: in particular, O2 and its creators were commended for clear evidence of attainment gains, the compelling creation of an experiential learning program that offered its student participants high-fidelity experiences of a disease outbreak scenario, and the innovative-yet-accessible use of widely-available, user-friendly mobile technologies,” said Jack Moran, Reimagine Education Program Manager. “It is a commendable example of how STEM education can be revisited in ways that don’t require difficult-to-acquire technological expertise, and we eagerly anticipate its progress.”

“The Reimagine Education Awards are considered the “Oscars” for education throughout the world, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present Operation Outbreak (O2) as the program continues to gain international attention,” said SMA Outreach Director Dr. Todd Brown. “With more than 1500 submissions from 39 counties, I am so proud of O2 and how it is gaining consideration as one of the best educational platforms in the world, and I am excited to expand this program within and beyond our Academy walls.”

Reimagine Education is a global conference and competition open to those who are transforming education, including edtech startups, academic faculty from top universities, Chief Innovation Officers, university leadership, teachers and stakeholders in the future of teaching and learning.

This opportunity is one of many offered to Dr. Brown in 2019: he is currently involved in a prestigious, year-long CDC fellowship; he coordinated the inaugural SMA Education Summit for professionals across the region; conducted a workshop and gave a keynote address at the Shekou SDG’s conference in Shekou, China as well as Shanghai in September; and was invited to speak at the 2019 Global IB Conference held in New Orleans.

About Sarasota Military Academy
Founded in 2002, Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) is a public charter school, college preparatory academy and an accredited IB Diploma and Middle Years Programme (MYP) School with two campuses located in Sarasota, Florida. Combining extraordinary academics with the highest military principles of camaraderie, focus, leadership, integrity, compassion, poise, honor, and respect, SMA’s mission is to graduate young men and women who will confidently define their personal and unique goals for success in a multi-cultural and globalized world. Sarasota Military Academy High School is located at 801 N. Orange Avenue and Sarasota Military Academy Prep Middle School, is located at 3101 Bethel Lane. To learn more about SMA, visit http://www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.org/.

PHOTO ID: Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) Outreach Director Todd Brown with participants from the 2018 Operation Outbreak at SMA Prep.

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