B.E. Academy for Girls Named Contender for Prestigious $1 Million Yass Prize: Championing School Choice and Opportunity for Girls of Color
Nashville’s first new all-girls school in over 70 years has been recently recognized among the nation’s most innovative education providers.B.E. Academy for Girls, an independent, culturally responsive STEAM school in Nashville, has been named a 2025 Yass Prize Contender. The recognition places the school among the nation’s most innovative education providers, transforming the future of learning. Known as the “Pulitzer of Education Innovation,”the Yass Prize recognizes schools that exemplify the four STOP principles — Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless education. Selected from thousands of applicants nationwide, B.E. Academy is one of only 23 organizations named a contender this year. Founded in 2023, the school represents a historic milestone as Nashville’s first new all-girls institution in more than seven decades —filling a critical gap in educational options for families seeking identity-affirming environments for their daughters.
“For too long, our girls have been told to fit into systems that weren’t built with them in mind, “said Tee Wilson, Founder and CEO of B.E. Academy. “At B.E. Academy, we’ve built a space where our girls are not only seen — they are celebrated. This recognition means the community is starting to see what we’ve known all along: when you give girls choice, access, and belonging, they soar.”
We had a chance to feature B.E. Academy when they first opened their doors in 2023.
For parents like Tasneem Tewogbola, choosing B.E. Academy for her daughter Azizah, a ninth grader, has been transformative.
“Before B.E. Academy, Azizah wasn’t excited about going to school. Now she wakes up every morning with a smile on her face,” said Tewogbola. “She’s thriving academically and socially because she finally feels like she belongs — like her voice matters. School choice gave her that freedom, and I’m so grateful for it.”
The Yass Prize celebrates education providers who push boundaries and redefine what is possible in learning. Since its founding in 2021, the Yass Foundation has awarded more than $46 million to organizations that exemplify innovation and courage in education. Each year, one grand prize winner receives $1 million to expand their impact, with all contenders joining a growing national network of trailblazing schools, nonprofits, and education entrepreneurs.
As B.E. Academy competes for the 2025 Yass Prize, the school continues to expand its STEAM, arts, and entrepreneurship programs while partnering with local and national organizations committed to educational equity — proving that when policy meets innovation, schools like B.E. Academy thrive.
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