Sarasota Military Academy Prep will soon be hit with an infectious outbreak. The cadets will be responsible for quelling the disease, before it wipes out the school’s population. Fortunately, it is all a part of a simulation happening this Friday on the SMA Prep campus meant to show cadets how epidemics occur. 200 middle school students will implement STEM skills learned in life science and civics classes to identify the disease, combat its spread and hopefully contain the epidemic.

The cadets are separated into six groups: Government, Military, Triage Doctors, Epidemiologists, Media and General Population. The simulation begins with the General Population receiving cards that describe symptoms. The cadets act out the conditions on the cards, while the Triage Doctors diagnose them. Other roles filled by cadets include body team members who collect the deceased cadets and bring them to the morgue. Goggles, gloves and hazmat suits are worn by those playing epidemiologists, as they experiment to find a cure to a disease made up by their teachers. Although it is a simulation, the highest precautions are taken to add to authenticity.

“This is our second year,” says Major Todd Brown, a history teacher at Sarasota Military Academy. “We are changing a couple things. We have got to modify and evolve with growing numbers.”

Last year, 90 of the 170 students involved succumbed to the virus. This year, the school will include more cadets and will feature guests such as cellular biologist Dr. Tamara Robertson, who has appeared on MythBusters and been written into the Marvel Universe, as well as Dr. Pardis Sabeti, Harvard professor and computational geneticist at Sabeti Lab, who was recognized as one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world.

The outbreak simulation gives students the chance to learn about and react to an epidemic, something anyone could benefit from, since diseases such as Zika and Ebola are part of life even here in the United States. “We are totally underprepared for a pandemic as a world and a country,” Brown says. “So the simulation is meant to engulf kids in real life situations that are pertinent.”  

Editor’s Note: This is part 20 of an ongoing series documenting the flights of active-duty US Navy Pilot Ryan Rankin on his journey to fly 52 planes in 52 weeks through the year 2017.

Rankin takes to the skies again with Steve Hawley (From the Cockpit Part 17), for a flight in Hawley’s favorite of the four aircraft he owns—the Bücker Bü 131. Buying and owning the Bü 131 (or any biplane) was never part of Hawley’s plan—not even when he was restoring it for the previous owner. “But after flying it once,” says Rankin, “he fell in love with it.” It’s a common experience, Rankin discovered, and one he would share.

Developed in the 1930s as a basic trainer for the German Luftwaffe during World War II, the Bü 131’s exceptional reputation spread to Japan, Switzerland, Hungary and Spain, which all received license to produce the aircraft for their own military use. Finally retired in 1968 (with the Spanish Air Force the last holdout), more than 200 or so survive in the United States. Hawley painted his banana yellow.

Being a biplane, Rankin assumed the Bü 131 would fly similarly to the Stearman—an American WWII-era biplane trainer—he flew in the first flight of his yearlong adventure. “But they’re just completely different aircraft,” he says. The Stearman, he describes as “robust” and “lumbering”—not a bad plane, but not necessarily an easy plane—whereas the Bü 131 simply feels like it wants to fly, agile and nimble. “A much more capable aerobatic platform,” he says. “And just all-around a bit zippier.” Cruising and banking through the South Carolina skies, Rankin understood why Hawley loved his biplane.

For more about the flight in Rankin's own words and a video of the flight, follow the link below. 

Pictured: Steve Hawley (left) and Ryan Rankin fly the Bucker Bu 131. Photo courtesy of Ryan Rankin.

Ryan Flies

One of the newest offerings from Hawaiian-inspired brand OluKai, the Pehuea (pronunciation: peh-hoo-eh-ah; translation: “A Rising Wind”) melds island ease with urban sophistication. Perfect for the everyday, the lightweight fabric mesh provides breathability and quick drying after an impromptu walk on the beach. Just as fitting for a casual trip out or loafing around the house, the signature drop-in heel folds down to convert the shoe into a slide-in slipper without compromising the integrity of the material or stitching. Available at T. Georgiano’s Boutique in navy blue, black and charcoal grey, the Pehuea comes in at an affordable $80. 

Photo by Phil Lederer.

T. Georgiano's Boutique, 1409-B 1st St., Sarasota, 941-870-3727.

Tomorrow morning, CareerSource will present its sold-out, inaugural State of Talent Conference at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee. The event will feature business leaders from the Sarasota and Manatee region focusing on methods and practical strategies to better recruit, train and retain talent. 

Event host and sponsor University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee is to support this dynamic event. Antonia Ripo from USF Sarasota-Manatee noted, “USF Sarasota-Manatee (USFSM) is supporting the conference because we are a valuable resource to employers in finding talent. We are implementing an online job board system that will accelerate the employer’s ability to recruit from a diverse population. We also make it easy for employers to recruit high-quality talent through internships. Last year, 318 students interned with employers in our community. Internship experiences help students transition into their careers by closing the experience gap that job descriptions provide. Our participation in The State of Talent Conference is a win-win-win, for the student, the employer and the University.”

With close to 15 sponsors, State of Talent is striving to make our region one of the most desirable places to live, work and flourish. 

Natalie Johnson, President of Population Health Consultants, a State of Talent Sponsor spoke on her excitement for the upcoming event. “We are an organization that provides health and wellness programs as a strategy for better business performance. There is a significant link between employee health, lost work time and employee productivity. Companies that invest in the health of their employees have a more engaged workforce, lower turnover rates and significantly better business performance outcomes. We decided to support the State of Talent Conference because they are committed to helping employers maximize their talent. The foundation for having a high-performing company is the physical, mental and emotional health of talent. The State of Talent Conference is a great resource for our local businesses to acquire training, growth and support for their employees," said Johnson.

For more on the State of Talent Conference, contact Chris Laney at CLaney@careersourcesc.com or visit their website online at StateofTalent.org. 

State of Talent Conference

Joseph McElmeel, Chairman and CEO of Brooke Chase Associates has announced that Brooke Chase was ranked by Forbes as 177th out of the thousands of recruiting firms in the US that place executives in positions with at least $100,000 in annual pay. To compile the rankings, Forbes worked with the analytics firm, Statista, to determine the top 250 firms in the US. Brooke Chase Associates is one of the premier executive search firms specializing in the recruitment of executive management professionals within the building materials and kitchen/bath industries. Established in 1980, Brooke Chase Associates, Inc. has its Corporate Headquarters in Sarasota. 

Brooke Chase Associates

Michael Holderness of Sara Bay Real Estate has announced the purchase of the Siesta Key Resort and Suites. The resort will undergo some additions and be rebranded as Siesta Key Resort and Spa. It will be run by Beachside Management, a rapidly growing management company based on Siesta Key. Plans are for the Siesta Key Resort and Spa to be the ultimate in laid-back and casual, yet upscale. The resort will aim to attract clientele from all over the world with a location steps from the beach and village. Holderness has chosen Mark Saltana of DSDG Architects to spearhead the redesign. Guests of Beachside Management properties will have privileges at the new resort. 

Sara Bay Real Estate