Sarasota Military Academy, a local public charter school, recently announced plans for the Academy’s first International Heritage Week, scheduled for December 3 through 7, 2018, at the Sarasota Military Academy high school campus.
The International Heritage Week celebration is a campus-wide event that aims to provide the academy with a unique platform to appreciate, recognize, celebrate and acknowledge diversity within the campus and the community.
“In 2015, Sarasota Military Academy was authorized as an IB Diploma Program World School. Our Prep campus is a certified IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and we are incredibly proud to be the only military academy in the state with this distinction,” said SMA Colonel Christina Bowman, Sarasota Military Academy Executive Director of Schools. “Through the IB Programmes, our staff and cadets have the ability to collaborate on events such as the International Heritage Week, which helps us celebrate and recognize the importance, creativity and vital diversity that our academy is proud to honor within our community.”
During International Heritage Week, cultures and traditions from various populations will be featured, including Latina, American Indian, Chinese, Irish, Asian and Ukrainian heritage.
“Several of the specific cultures we will be highlighting were chosen to represent the diversity we have within our very own campus, our staff and cadets,” said SMA-LTC Pamela Donehew, Sarasota Military Academy Director of Literacy and IB Program Coordinator. “Teachers are provided with materials specific to their content areas to support their curriculum while aligning with the goals of International Heritage Week. In addition, cadets will form committees to promote and design the week-long celebrations, and they will lead the daily focus of events. It is incredibly important that our cadets take an active role in understanding diversity and finding ways to appreciate and celebrate what makes our community strong.”
The Sarasota Military Academy Prep middle school campus is a full IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Academy’s high school campus enables cadets to participate in IB, dual-enrollment or additional programs of their choosing.
To learn more about Sarasota Military Academy, visit http://www.sarasotamilitaryacademy.org/.
About Sarasota Military Academy
Founded in 2002, Sarasota Military Academy (SMA) is a public charter school and college preparatory academy 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/.