Out of thousands of applicants, the Chesterton Schools Network has been named one of 23 contenders for the 2025 Yass Prize, known as the “Pulitzer of Education Innovation.” Powered by the Center for Education Reform since 2021, the $1 million award goes to an education provider that most exemplifies the “STOP” principles (Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless), with additional awards for other innovative organizations who advance.

Exemplifying the STOP traits, the CSN serves a worldwide community of parents who refuse to outsource education to broken systems. Our team walks beside them—moms and dads with no prior experience—guiding them through every step to open a new Chesterton Academy, where joy and wonder return to learning.

The Chesterton Schools Network is inspiring and empowering a worldwide movement of parents to restore joyful, affordable Catholic education in our time.

Over the next few weeks, our executive director Emily de Rotstein will learn from and alongside dozens of other inspirational educational entrepreneurs through a virtual business accelerator, culminating in a 4-day business seminar and pitch competition in Miami, Florida. Our prayers go with her.

To learn more about the Yass Prize and see the full list of 2025 contenders, visit YassPrize.org and the Center for Education Reform at edreform.com.

#####

Emily de Rotstein served as a Board member and Executive Director of the first Chesterton Academy from 2011 to 2018. She later helped launch the Chesterton Schools Network, guiding its rapid expansion into a global movement of classical, Catholic high schools. Emily brings a strong background in consumer marketing, brand strategy, and hyper- growth start-ups. She previously served as Vice President of Marketing at a technology company she helped spin out of Dow Chemical. She began her career in higher education philanthropy. Emily holds a BA from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.