Press & recognition
Moreana was built to give boys something different: personalized academics, strong mentorship, real-world work, and a community where character matters. That model has drawn attention from people and organizations working to change what school can be.
Recognized, supported, or featured by
This is not a list of every directory that mentions us. It is the coverage and recognition that actually means something — national media, school-choice organizations, grantmakers, and rooms where education founders are asked to speak.
The Yass Prize · 2026
Moreana Boys Academy was named a 2026 Yass Prize Semifinalist, part of a national cohort recognized for education innovation. The official profile highlights our all-boys model, personalized academics, character, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a way to build discipline and resilience. As part of the 2026 cohort, Moreana took part in the Yass Prize Accelerator and received a Yass Prize Semifinalist award.
View our Yass Prize profile
Forbes · July 2025
National media
Kerry McDonald
Forbes featured Moreana in a national story on the growth of microschools. Kerry McDonald wrote about the launch, early demand from families, the hands-on approach, Arizona’s school-choice environment, and the growth that pushed us out of our first space. The piece also shows boys on a community excursion.
Foundation for Economic Education · 2024
Education entrepreneurship
FEE named founder Tom Dowell a finalist for its inaugural Enterprising Founder Award — a national honor for education entrepreneurs who have built new schooling options in their communities.
In the conversation
LiberatED Podcast · November 2024
Podcast
Kerry McDonald devoted an episode to Tom’s move from public-school teacher to founder, and to why Moreana is a small, personalized alternative rather than a traditional classroom on a smaller scale.
National Hybrid Schools Conference · 2024 & 2025
National conference
Tom was invited to the National Hybrid Schools Conference two years running. In 2024 he joined a KaiPod Catalyst panel on going from idea to launch. In 2025 he returned for “Finding Your Niche: 5 Microschool Models.”
National Microschooling Center · August 2026
School choice
The National Microschooling Center pointed to Moreana in a piece on Arizona’s unusually diverse microschool landscape — an independently branded school that grew out of the KaiPod Catalyst ecosystem.
KaiPod Learning · 2024–2026
Founder story
KaiPod has featured Moreana as a founder who turned a distinctive vision into a running program — school profile, Catalyst materials, a video tour, and a January 2026 live session, “Lessons & Learnings from a Microschool Founder.”
Invested in the mission
Organizations that back education founders expanding real options for families have supported Moreana’s growth.
VELA · December 2024
Grant
Moreana received a VELA Education Award in 2024, joining a national community of founders building alternatives to conventional schooling. The award came as the program moved from a founder-led start into a growing East Valley academy.
San Juan Diego Institute · Grant recipient
Arizona school choice
The San Juan Diego Institute awarded Moreana an Arizona Achievement & Educational Choice Grant, supporting a personalized, mission-driven option inside Arizona’s school-choice landscape.
Want to visit, or write about the program? Call 480.431.8410 or schedule a tour.
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