Lancaster Science Factory in the running for $1M prize

The Lancaster Science Factory was selected from more than 2,000 national applicants as one of 64 quarterfinalists for the 2022 Yass Prize.

All quarterfinalists will receive a $100,000 award and move into the next phase to compete for up to $1 million before the end of the year.

The award highlights education providers that strive to offer instruction that is sustainable, transformational, outstanding and permissionless (STOP).

“The Lancaster Science Factory is thrilled to be a quarterfinalist for the 2022 Yass Prize among so many innovative education organizations. We are experiencing a peak in community demand for our hands-on STEM programs, exhibits and facility,” Lancaster Science Factory Executive Director Emily Landis said in a release. “This funding will help us grow our capacity to successfully meet the needs of local students and families.”

The quarterfinalists were announced Oct. 11 at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit. They come from 33 states and the District of Columbia and represent eight kinds of education providers.

In conjunction with the $1 million Yass Prize, which will be announced Dec. 14, the STOP Awards Initiative will distribute over $10 million to the remaining education innovators, providers and entrepreneurs through the course of the competition.

The quarterfinalists now move into the next phase to determine the 32 semifinalists who have the ability to receive a $200,000 STOP Award and will take part in a four-week hybrid accelerator program.

At the end of that process, seven finalists will be chosen from which the $1 million prize winner will be selected. The other six finalists will receive a $250,000 STOP Award.

The Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education is powered by the Center for Education Reform in partnership with Forbes.

Paula Wolf is a freelance writer