Awards
Awards
The 2026 $1 Million Grand Prize Winner!
Learning Lounge
The Learning Lounge is STOP in action — Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless.
Its deeply personalized approach is transforming opportunity for children and families in rural Arkansas, while building a model with the potential to reach far beyond it.
The 2026 $500,000 Finalists
Click on each finalist to learn more about what made them unSTOPpable
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Airborne Christian Academy
Martinsburg, WV
Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School
Bessemer, AL
AloeVR
National
American High School
National
AMIkids Maritime Academy
Panama City, FL
An Achievable Dream
Newport News and Virginia Beach, VA
Archimedean Schools
Miami, FL
Arizona Autism Charter Schools
Phoenix, AZ
Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools
North Little Rock, AR
ASU Preparatory Global
Tempe, AZ
Atlanta Unbound
Atlanta, GA
Atlas Public Schools
St. Louis, MO
Aurora Science and Tech High School
Aurora, CO
Austin Achieve Public Schools
Austin, TX
Be More Colorful
Fargo, ND & National
Beyond Excellence Academy of STEAM
Nashville, TN
Big Picture Learning Company
National
Bill of Rights Institute
National
Black Mothers Forum
Phoenix, AZ
Black Pastors United for Education
Harrisburg, PA
Bob Hope Schools
Port Arthur, TX
Boddle Learning
National
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego
San Diego, CA
Bridgeway Academy
Columbus, OH
Brilla Public Charter Schools – Paterson
Paterson, NJ
Brooklyn STEAM Center
Brooklyn, NY
Brookstone School
Charlotte, NC
Brothers Liberating our Communities
Kansas City, MO
Build UP
Birmingham, AL
Burbrella Learning Academy
Burlington, NC
Café Momentum
National
Capital Prep Schools
Bridgeport, CT
CARE Elementary School
Miami, FL
Career Academy of the Palm Beaches
West Palm Beach, FL
Catalyst Academy Public Charter School
Pittsburgh, PA
Center for Creative Education
West Palm Beach, FL
Charleston Classical School
North Charleston, SC
Chesapeake Bay Academy
Virginia Beach, VA
Chesterton Schools Network
National
Chickasaw City Schools
Chickasaw, AL
City on a Hill Christian Academy
Fairmont, WV
ClassBank
National
Coded by Kids
Philadelphia, PA
Colēgia, by Academica
Miami, FL
Coleman A. Young II Educational Foundation
Detroit, MI
College Achieve Public Charter Schools (CAPS)
Tinton Falls, NJ
Colossal Academy
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Comp Sci High
Bronx, NY
Cooking4Autism
Pennsylvania & New Jersey
Cornerstone Christian Academy
Statesville, NC
CREATE Conservatory
Mount Dora, FL
Creative Minds Microschool
Wendell, NC
Cristo Rey Network
National
Da Vinci RISE High
El Segundo, CA
Dallas Education Foundation
Dallas, TX
Delta Streets Ministries
Greenwood, MS
DePaul School of Northeast Florida
Jacksonville, FL
Detroit Achievement Academy
Detroit, MI
Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy
Milwaukee, WI
DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach Public Charter School
Kapolei, HI
Dreams Academy International
Akron, OH
Durham Charter School
Durham, NC
Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball Charter School
New York, NY
Ecclesial Schools Initiative
Oviedo, FL
Edily
San Francisco, CA
Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute
Cleveland, OH
Empower Community High School
Aurora, CO
Engaged Detroit
Detroit, MI
Esperanza Academy Charter School
Philadelphia, PA
Expert IEP
National
Families Empowered
Houston, TX
Father Judge High School
Philadelphia, PA
Flourish Education
Tennessee
Franklin Regional School District
Murrysville, PA
Freedom Institute of Collier County
Naples, FL
Freedom Preparatory Academy
Memphis, TN
Friendship Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Fugees Family, Inc.
National
Full STEAM Forward
National
G-Star School of the Arts, Inc
West Palm Beach, FL
Gem Innovation Schools of Idaho
Deary, ID
Gentlemen’s League
Memphis, TN
Girard College
Philadelphia, PA
GlobalED Solutions, Inc/PBC
Pueblo, CO
Goodwill Excel Center
Memphis, TN
Gordon Bernell Charter School
Albuquerque, NM
Great Hearts America Microschools
Phoenix, AZ
Great Oaks Foundation
New York, NY
GuidEd
Tampa, FL
Habitat for Aviation
Swanton, VT
Happy Hands Education Center
Broken Arrow, OK
Heritage Academy Public Charter School
Jerome, ID
Herring Gut Coastal Science Center
Port Clyde, ME
HOPE Ranch Learning Academy
Hudson, FL
I Dream Public Charter School
Washington, DC
Indi-ED
St. Petersburg, FL
Indiana Microschool Collaborative
Indiana
Jackson Hole Classical Academy
Jackson, WY
Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
Detroit, MI
Jumoke Academy Charter School
Hartford, CT
The foundation of any society is a good education.
If you're committed to wanting to be one of the change makers of the future in education, I believe that this is a place for you.
Not only because of the capital, but because of the knowledge that comes by communing with the diverse group of people as opposed to everybody that thinks the exact same way that you might think.
I’m dreaming bigger, bolder, and more bodacious [because of the Yass Prize].
It has helped me raise the ceiling on what’s possible.
We have a tremendously transformative model that could stand for a little disruption.
The Yass experience has given us “permission” to do exactly that.
One of the missions of the Yass Prize and the Yass Prize movement is really surfacing best practices in innovation—
in innovators who are doing this type of transformational work, so that others can learn from it and replicate it, so that you can actually grow yourselves.
We used the Yass Prize to launch a program called Skypod catalyst, which is essentially an accelerator to help other people start microschools.
We believe very much that microschools should be bottoms up, they come from the community. They're founded by educators who know their community really well. And they want to design a learning environment for the kids in that community.
Because of the Yass Prize, we were able to add an additional pre-K classroom.
The Yass Prize is truly changing the landscape of education options across the nation,
and I couldn't be more grateful for what it's done for us, and helping us serve more students and families.
In a state where alternative education is often overlooked, the Yass community helps us shine.
The Yass Prize has empowered our youth, families and community by bringing great visibility to our efforts.
Being a part of this experience has amplified the access we can give to our students in a way that nothing has, and the access is just critical.
The Yass Prize is almost like Burning Man for education reform.
Having the status of Yass Prize Semifinalist has opened doors that we’ve been knocking on for years,
including public recognition from our Governor and partnership conversations with other education innovators from around the country.
Believe in your mission… Ground yourself… Never give up…