Skip to content

Popular

Categories

No Results Found

View All Results
  • Home
  • About
  • Apply
  • Awardees
  • Media
Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Apply
  • Awardees
  • Media

Media

Media

Back to News & Media
Announcements, Press Releases

Semifinalists for the $1 Million Yass Prize Announced

  • October 13, 2022

Each of 32 education innovators will receive $200,000 in STOP Awards as they vie for the million dollar prize

NEW YORK – October 13, 2022 – Leaders from 32 of the nation’s most exceptional educational organizations in the nation across twenty states learned today they were semifinalists for this year’s prestigious Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education, which comes with a $1 million grand prize. The event, held by the Yass Prize in partnership with Forbes, was keynoted by Forbes Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media Steve Forbes, Yass Prize Founder Janine Yass and previous recipients of the Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative.

The Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative will provide more than $11 million this year in order to support education organizations that are beating the odds at delivering exceptional 21st century learning opportunities to students and families.

“At Forbes, we know the qualities of great entrepreneurs and these 32 are changing the landscape of education and innovating how education providers serve the underserved,” said Forbes Chief Content Officer & Editor, Randall Lane.

Now in its second year, the awards have since tripled to expand reach and impact. “There are literally thousands of education leaders who are quietly transforming a previously stagnant education landscape,” said Jeanne Allen, Yass Foundation Director and Founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform. “Our goal is to find and fund the best and influence others to follow their examples, so that no child has to wait for the education that best meets their needs.”

The 32 semifinalists announced today will receive at least a $200,000 STOP Award grant and will vie for six $250,000 awards as well as the $1 million Yass Prizes to be announced on December 14.  A new Yass Prize platform and three-week virtual accelerator will help all applicants coalesce to learn from one another as well as entrepreneurs, technology leaders and investors. The finalists will move onto an intensive in-person accelerator program and pitch competition to be held in Miami, Florida in December. The 2022 finalists and $1 million Yass Prize winner will be announced on December 14, 2022.

To learn more about each of the award winners of this year’s Initiative, visit: YassPrize.org.

Contacts
John Allen: pr@yassprize.org

 

About Forbes

Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 140 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE and Forbes Virtual events, custom marketing programs and 48 licensed local editions in 82 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements.

About the Yass Prize

The $1 Million Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education celebrates the country’s education provider which best demonstrates the STOP principles. In conjunction with The Yass Prize, the STOP Awards initiative provides over $16 million in support annually to honor educators who achieve and deliver for underserved children through the STOP principles. To learn more about the work and the incredible education providers who have been honored, visit yassprize.org.

Related News

Loading...
Op-Eds
  • March 29, 2023

Students Flee, but the Money Keeps Coming

Media Coverage
  • March 27, 2023

The Yass Prize on The Laura Coates Show

Media Coverage
  • March 25, 2023

The Yass Prize joins Brian Kilmeade from FOX & Friends

The Yass Foundation advances the four core STOP principles: Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless education. Each year, the Foundation will reward dozens of organizations, building a growing network of innovative providers that
demonstrate these qualities in their commitment to new ideas, technologies, and approaches to learning that bring education into
the 21st century. The Foundation is powered by the Center for Education Reform (CER) in partnership with Forbes.

When you are trying to advance and think beyond the status quo, this can be a lonely place, because our systems are structured to do the same thing.

It is important to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who foster innovation.

Phyllis Lockett
CEO,
LEAP Innovations

I hope you all think about the fact that the impact you are having, you will never even know how widespread it is.

That’s the beauty of education, you impact lives in such a deep way.

Alyssa Farah Griffin
Co-Host on The View and CNN Political Commentator,

We see the Pulitzer prizes, we see the MacArthur Genius Grants, we see the Pritzker prize for architecture.

But for the one field that drives everything, education, there is no definitive prize. The Yass Prize has filled that vacuum -- it's more than just the money. It's about spurring ideas, it's about spurring innovation. We are very very proud to be a part of it.

Randall Lane
Editor,
Forbes

We realized long ago that there’s a lot of money in the system, and it’s just not directed to the children.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

Success happens after many pivots and changes.

Michael Moe
Founder and CEO,
Global Silicon Valley

I am still processing the magnitude of this experience and so grateful for meeting each and everyone of you.

I look forward to continuing our transformative work in our communities and together.

Taylor Shead
Board Member,
Dallas Education Foundation

The real source of wealth in society is the human mind, not material things, because with the human mind, great wealth can be created.

Steve Forbes
Editor-in-Chief,
Forbes Media

Entrepreneurs are people who teach us about needs we don’t know we need.

This is the fundamental basis of what we are doing.

Carl Schramm
University Professor,
Syracuse University

We may not agree on much of anything, but one thing that is a uniting force that we all agree on is that education opens doors, it’s the great equalizer.

Alyssa Farah Griffin
Co-Host on The View and CNN Political Commentator,

If you get to the accelerator after the application process, go in knowing you already won.

The fact that you are now with a group of your peers you really get to see how world class the education profession is.

Christopher Simmonds
Principal,
CARE Elementary School

Remember, you are doing the work of civilization.

You are planting the seeds of a better world, despite any bad news, you’re doing great things.

Steve Forbes
Editor-in-Chief,
Forbes Media

Unfortunately, the bureaucracy that’s behind the school system is more interested in perpetuating jobs and keeping the system in place, rather than giving children the freedom they deserve.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

You are in a moment in history that we have never seen before.

Any of us with a disruptive idea have a shot at trying to prove something.

Randall Lane
Chief Content Officer,
Forbes Media

We often jump to the what, without thinking with the community about the why.

Michael B. Horn
Author,
From Reopen to Reinvent

What is good for families is good for the school because families want great schools.

Ceci Schickel
Senior Director of Organizing and Advocacy,
Mastery Charter School

I'm deeply humbled and grateful to be part of this group.

The last month has been a tremendous experience and I'm so inspired and motivated by the amazing work this group is doing. Collectively, we’re working towards a real-world goal and it’s leaving me empowered and motivated to apply what we learn.

Jeffrey Imrich
Co-Founder,
Rock by Rock

What has been created here at the accelerator is truly incredible.

We may never know how pivotal this really is for education in America right here, right now. This group of people will work together to force real change permissionlessly.

Rob Blevins
Executive Director,
Discovery Center of Springfield

The pandemic didn’t stop our families, scholars and educators from learning, growing and thriving.

Patricia Brantley
CEO,
Friendship Public Charter School

The fact that education has become partisan is upsetting, and I just hope that this award will encourage more states to view this as a bipartisan issue.

Janine Yass
Founder,
The Yass Prize

Connect with us

Stay informed about our latest news and sign up for our emails below! For questions or comments, use the Contact Us box. We’ll be in touch!
Contact Us
Stay Informed
  • Home
  • About
  • Apply
  • Awardees
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Home
  • About
  • Apply
  • Awardees
  • Media
  • Careers
Facebook Twitter Linkedin
© 2022, Yass Foundation for Education, all rights reserved.

Connect With Us

We would love to hear from you! Please fill out this form and we will get in touch with you shortly.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

* Required

Questions?

Email us at info@yassprize.org or call us at 202-750-0016.

Stay Informed

"*" indicates required fields

Name*