The 4th annual Yass Prize semifinalist gathering in NYC brought together a microcosm of some of the best education entrepreneurs this nation has known—past, present and future. I was blown away (again!) listening to every single semi-finalist tell their story about how they fill voids, how they STOP for education, implement transformation tech, and put the POP back in Parent Power every day!
We also made a surprise turn and accelerated the annual Prize awards to give everyone who worked so hard since applying last winter the opportunity to support and advance their goals more quickly! While this is our final cohort, it’s just the beginning of a new chapter in the effort we’ve powered in partnership with Forbes all these years.
As our statement says, students urgently need access to the education that organizations like these offer, particularly with all the data pointing to continued stagnation in US education.
The education landscape has changed so much in the past two years alone, including 14 additional state laws providing parents wide freedom to choose the best education provider for their kids, and dramatic changes in districts responding to the pressure competition brings.
Also, the widespread use of technology and microschools has continued to expand families’ ability to access high-quality personalized learning opportunities.
As is our custom, we always want to be moving ahead and iterating, following the true model of disruptive innovation that the late Clayton Christensen once celebrated as the lever to changing established organizations. We know that the true lesson lies in identifying and fostering the conditions that enable innovation to thrive.
So…future efforts will focus on developing and strengthening the existing national network of Yass Prize awardees to continue and expand their transformational efforts.
Look for more exciting updates from our awesome team soon and read our release. Congrats, all and see you soon!