Chesterton Schools Network named as the 2025 $1 Million Yass Prize recipient
The Chesterton Schools Network (CSN) has been awarded this year’s $1 million Yass Prize—an extraordinary and well-deserved honor. Often referred to as the “Pulitzer Prize of Education,” the Yass Prize recognizes and elevates the next generation of transformative education leaders.
Selected from among thousands of schools nationwide, this prestigious award celebrates excellence and innovation in education. This year, CSN was recognized for its parent-powered model, which equips communities to launch joyful, rigorous, and affordable classical high schools.
In announcing the award, the Yass Prize committee highlighted the Network’s rapid growth to more than 70 Chesterton Academies nationwide, as well as its proven success in restoring deep thinking, virtue formation, and a sense of joy to the high school experience.
The $1 million prize will enable the Chesterton Schools Network to significantly expand its capacity in response to increasing demand from families—driven both by the growth of school choice and CSN’s rising reputation as a leader in renewing Catholic education.
Looking ahead, CSN is on track to reach 150 schools by 2030, with a long-term vision of serving 1,000 schools globally by 2040—impacting more than 100,000 students. The Network’s leadership views the Yass Prize as a powerful catalyst in advancing this mission.
