HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To support the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN) announced today it is partnering with Ocean Visions, a nonprofit network of leading research and academic institutions, to introduce students around the globe to its Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions Decade Programme (GEOS) through the gaming platform Minecraft©.
Endorsed by the U.N. in June 2021, GEOS is establishing a global community of researchers, investors, and decision-makers to design and deploy scalable ocean sustainability solutions. A foundational element of GEOS’s mission is educating, empowering, and training the next generation of ocean leaders, scientists, and innovators. To this end, the GEOS Steering Committee has invited Stride—the nation’s leading online and blended learning program provider—to be its Lead Education Partner.
“As an education leader, we have a responsibility to equip young people with the tools they’ll need to succeed in their own futures and to secure the future of our planet,” said James Rhyu, CEO at Stride. “Stride is deeply humbled to be included in such a momentous effort, and we are confident that the GEOS project will leave a lasting impact on students and the planet.”
Research suggests that game-based learning contributes to improved academic achievement and can build essential skills such as analytical thinking, teamwork, complex problem-solving, creativity, and communication. Leveraging its more than two decades of experience supporting learners worldwide, Stride will work with international gaming platform Minecraft© to create an Ocean Decade Sustainable World Project, where students will contribute solutions to the very real challenges facing our oceans.
Working with Minecraft© builders and with contributions from a variety of experts, Stride will create brand new content in renewable energy, marine biology, eco-tourism, food systems, and engineering. Students will engage in three challenges within the platform: building an offshore city powered by renewable energy; reducing marine vessel pollution; and raising public awareness about the global crisis of plastic pollution. Along the way, students will engage with educational content and will be invited to revisit their projects throughout the year as they encounter new challenges.
“With Stride’s support, GEOS will introduce students around the world to real-world issues, technologies, and resources that are grounded in cutting-edge science and engineering,” said Emanuele Di Lorenzo, Chairman of Ocean Visions and Director of Ocean Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. “We are proud to have such an experienced and trusted partner in K–12 education leading this essential component of the GEOS commitment.”
To ensure a lasting impact of this effort, Stride will also embed the Minecraft© challenges and content into its K–12 curriculum, establishing a foundation for students to understand environmental sustainability issues and hone problem-solving and critical thinking skills through real-world STEM application.
The release of Stride’s Minecraft© Ocean Decade Sustainable World is planned for later this year. For more information about GEOS, visit www.oceanvisions.org/geos.
About Stride, Inc.
At Stride, Inc. (NYSE: LRN), we are reimagining learning—where learning is lifelong, deeply personal, and prepares learners for tomorrow. The company has transformed millions of people’s teaching and learning experiences by providing innovative, high-quality, tech-enabled education solutions, curriculum, and programs directly to students, schools, the military, and enterprises in primary, secondary, and postsecondary settings. Stride is a premier provider of K–12 education for students, schools, and districts, including career learning services through middle and high school curriculums. For adult learners, Stride delivers professional skills training in healthcare and technology, as well as staffing and talent development for Fortune 500 companies. Stride has delivered millions of courses over the past decade and serves learners in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company is a proud sponsor of the Future of School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology and the pace of change in education. Find more information at stridelearning.com, K12.com, galvanize.com, techelevator.com, and medcerts.com.
About Ocean Visions
Ocean Visions works to develop innovative and durable solutions to complex challenges facing our ocean. It pursues this mission by harnessing human ingenuity, engaging a multisector and multidisciplinary community of problem-solvers to co-create solutions to the most pressing challenges facing the ocean. The Ocean Visions Network links people and resources from leading oceanographic research and academic institutions with expertise from other key sectors of civil society to develop, test, and evaluate innovative solutions to critical problems of ocean health.
