Awardees
Awardees
The 2023 Yass Prize Winner!
Valiant Cross Academy
Congratulations to Valiant Cross Academy, the 2023 Yass Prize $1 Million Winner! Located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, Valiant Cross Academy sits just across from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s church – a symbolic inspiration driving the school’s commitment to fostering success for its all-Black male students through faith and academic rigor.
The 2023 Finalists
2023 Yass Prize Semifinalists
Meet the 33 Semifinalists selected for the 2023 Yass Prize
Other State Initiatives
Responding in real time to policy opportunities as well as challenges.
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Alabama Aerospace and Aviation High School
Bessemer, AL
AloeVR
National
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
Austin Achieve Public Schools
Austin, TX
Be More Colorful
Fargo, ND & National
Bill of Rights Institute
National
Black Mothers Forum
Phoenix, AZ
Black Pastors United for Education
Harrisburg, PA
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego
San Diego, CA
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
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
Chickasaw City Schools
Chickasaw, AL
City on a Hill Christian Academy
Fairmont, WV
Class Equity
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
CREATE Conservatory
Mount Dora, FL
Cristo Rey Network
National
Da Vinci RISE High
El Segundo, CA
Dallas Education Foundation
Dallas, TX
Detroit Achievement Academy
Detroit, MI
DreamHouse ‘Ewa Beach Public Charter School
Kapolei, HI
Durham Charter School
Durham, NC
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
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
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
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
Jackson Hole Classical Academy
Jackson, WY
Jumoke Academy Charter School
Hartford, CT
Kaimuki Middle School
Honolulu, HI
KaiPod Learning
Boston, MA
Kairos Academies
St. Louis, MO
Kind Academy
Coral Springs, FL
Lab51 – One Stone
Boise, Idaho
Lancaster Science Factory
Lancaster, PA
Latitude Learning Resources
Derry, NH
Launch Expeditionary Learning Charter School
Brooklyn, NY
Leaders to Legends
Omaha, NE
Leading Little Arrows
Arlington, TX
Libertas School of Memphis
Memphis, TN
LiFT Learning
Bristol, VT
Living School
New Orleans, LA
Logos Academy
York, PA
Louisiana Key Academy
Baton Rouge, LA
Lutheran Urban Mission Initiative, Inc. (LUMIN)
Multiple cities, WI
Madrona Folk School
Grant Pass, OR
MAP Academy
Plymouth, MA
Maryville Academy
Des Plaines, IL
Milwaukee College Prep
Milwaukee, WI
Mission Achievement and Success Charter School
Albuquerque, NM
Modern States Education Alliance
National
Mountaineer Homeschool Hub
Morgantown, WV
National Fellowship for Black and Latino Male Educators
National
National Microschooling Center
Las Vegas, NV
Neighborhood Schools
Houston, TX
New Testament Christian Academy
Milwaukee, WI
New Way Global
Greenville, SC
Northern Cass School District
Hunter, ND
Oakmont Education
Akron, OH
Odyssey
Washington, DC
Odyssey Charter School
Wilmington, DE
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.
It might be the first time you’re speaking where everyone is actually listening and cares about what you’re doing.
I don’t think I’ve been in a room as supportive as the Yass Prize Semifinalist room in Miami.
Our newest endeavor – that was part of our Yass Prize initiative – we're bringing career and technical education into the school
I'm in the process of going through the construction of a 20,000 square foot $11.5 million dollar building dedicated to career and technical education for the students in the Philadelphia region.
Education is one of the most fundamental pillars for democratizing opportunities for success that we have in our society.
It’s thanks to organizations like the Yass Prize that our children are going to have a better tomorrow.
The Yass Prize process has created an awareness of the education freedom movement within churches and communities.
It's given us an opportunity to start critical discussions with our congregations, parents, community leaders and members, about the laws that govern education in Pennsylvania.
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.
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.
The Yass Prize has brought together such diverse leaders
from all different demographics, all different states, all different service provider types that you can learn from.
We have a tremendously transformative model that could stand for a little disruption.
The Yass experience has given us “permission” to do exactly that.
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.
I’m dreaming bigger, bolder, and more bodacious [because of the Yass Prize].
It has helped me raise the ceiling on what’s possible.
The Yass Award is about celebrating and rewarding those who make students the priority.”