Cornerstone Christian Academy Completes Yass Prize Accelerator, Awaits $1M Winner Announcement
Known as the "Pulitzer of Education Innovation," the Yass Prize has recognized Cornerstone Christian Academy for its sustainable, transformational, outstanding, and permissionless approach to serving every learner, including students with learning differences.
STATESVILLE, N.C., September 28, 2026: Cornerstone Christian Academy (CCA), one of 26 organizations named a Contender for the 2026 Yass Prize, has completed the Yass Prize Accelerator and now awaits the announcement of the $1 million grand prize winner.
During the Accelerator in Miami, CCA leaders worked alongside recognized leaders in business, education, entrepreneurship, and public policy to strengthen and scale their work. The week ended with a pitch competition before a panel of distinguished judges. The winner will be announced October 6 at the Power of Innovation Summit in Philadelphia.
"The Accelerator pushed us to think bigger about what Cornerstone can be," said Renee Griffith, Founder and Executive Director of Cornerstone Christian Academy. "Whatever happens on October 6, we came home with a clearer plan and a lot of gratitude for how far God has brought this school."
The Yass Prize and STOP Awards Initiative exists to identify and support best-in-class education providers who deliver an education that is Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless. More than an awards program, it is an effort to find, reward, celebrate, and expand best-in-class education organizations from every sector, in every state, and to accelerate impact with the speed and urgency students deserve. Since 2021, the Yass Foundation for Education has awarded more than $60 million in grants, including the $1 million Yass Prize, given to the organization that most exemplifies the STOP principles.
The prize was founded in 2021 by Jeff and Janine Yass, who have spent more than 25 years creating excellent schools and meaningful choices for parents. When the COVID crisis revealed and magnified the inequities facing many students, Janine wanted to recognize the heroes in education who kept serving the underserved despite the challenges. That vision sparked the Yass Prize and continues to drive the Yass Foundation for Education's work to expand opportunity for every student.
Serving students others overlook is where Cornerstone's story begins. For 32 years, CCA has served families in Statesville and the surrounding Iredell County communities with a Christ-centered K-12 education. What began with 12 students has grown to more than 380 students and roughly 50 faculty and staff. CCA is fully accredited through Cognia, NCPSA, and ACTS. Nearly all CCA families rely on the NC Opportunity Scholarship, making CCA a real option for families who could not otherwise choose a private, faith-based education.
At the heart of CCA's model is the STAR Program (Strategy, Tutoring, Assistance, and Remediation), which provides self-contained classrooms and individualized instruction for students with learning and intellectual challenges. CCA is the only private faith-based school in the Statesville area offering this level of specialized support. Many families arrive through referrals from public school teachers and exceptional children (EC) directors who know their students need something different.
"Every child who walks through our doors is made in the image of God and has a purpose," said Griffith. "Our job is to see that purpose, and then do whatever it takes to help that child reach it. Sometimes that means a smaller classroom. Sometimes it means a different approach to reading. It always means a teacher who knows them."
CCA is also building college and career pathways that prepare students for life after graduation. This fall, the school launched a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, giving high school students the chance to earn an industry credential and step directly into a high-demand healthcare field. Additional pathways are coming soon, part of CCA's commitment to helping every student graduate with a clear next step, whether that is college, a career, or both.
CCA's growth has come almost entirely through word of mouth, its church community, and families who see the difference in their children. Today, demand exceeds capacity, with 45 families on the waitlist. The Yass Prize would fund the first phase of CCA's five-year strategic plan: renovating unused spaces to add classroom seats, opening a third dedicated STAR classroom, adding reading specialists and a behavioral and mental health specialist, and building an outdoor sensory space for students with learning disabilities.
"This prize would accelerate work that is already underway," said Griffith. "The spaces exist. The need is documented. We have families waiting, and we are ready to say yes to them."
About Cornerstone Christian Academy
Cornerstone Christian Academy is a private, Christ-centered K-12 school in Statesville, North Carolina, and a ministry of Cornerstone Church. Founded in 1994, CCA serves more than 380 students and is accredited by Cognia, NCPSA, and ACTS. Through its STAR Program and new college and career pathways, CCA prepares every student for a life of purpose.
Media Contact:
Name: Renee Griffith
Title: Executive Director, Cornerstone Christian Academy
