Melissa Tracy of Odyssey Charter School Named $1 Million Global Teacher Prize Finalist

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

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

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.

we have to find academic experiences that represent neuro-divergent learners, kids who want to learn about gaming, who want to do stuff online, who dropped out of school.

The Yass Prize has empowered our youth, families and community by bringing great visibility to our efforts.

When we originally applied, we simply provided supplemental support services to homeschooling families. Now, we are growing into an education network that provides community, coaching, and curriculum nationwide.

The Yass experience has given us “permission” to do exactly that.

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 has helped me raise the ceiling on what’s possible.

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

Great education is a vital link for students to become successful citizens.

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

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?

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.

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

We don’t want you to rinse, wash, repeat. We want you to build and sustain.

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.

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

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.

including public recognition from our Governor and partnership conversations with other education innovators from around the country.

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.

And through that, we were able to open up our second campus in the city of Wichita.

It’s thanks to organizations like the Yass Prize that our children are going to have a better tomorrow.