The funding is not following children. We're trying to make better options for kids, for poor kids, middle class kids. Wealthy people have this choice, they opt out of their systems easily, why shouldn't all children have that choice?

It's actually mind blowing. I really see myself as an education entrepreneur, but this expanded me.

The Yass Prize is almost like Burning Man for education reform.

from all different demographics, all different states, all different service provider types that you can learn from.

I don’t think I’ve been in a room as supportive as the Yass Prize Semifinalist room in Miami.

and I couldn't be more grateful for what it's done for us, and helping us serve more students and families.

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.

going against the common core and focusing on what we know is important for kids really works, and having a network of people now that also agree was super huge.

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.