September 19, 2024 • New York, NY An exceptional New York school has been named a Top 3 finalist for the World’s Best School Prizes 2024. The five World’s Best School Prizes, founded by T4 Education in collaboration with Accenture, American Express and the Lemann Foundation, are the world’s most prestigious education prizes and this year’s winners will share a $50,000 prize fund.

Community School Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322, a state secondary school in New York City, which is a beacon of hope and resilience, particularly for immigrant families in its community through its holistic support, has been named a Top 3 finalist for the World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration.

"We are incredibly honored to be recognized among the Top 3 for the World’s Best School Prize for Community Collaboration,” said Miriam Rosa, Principal, Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322. “This acknowledgment is a testament to the resilience, dedication, and collaborative spirit of our students, staff, and community partners. Together, we are creating a nurturing environment where every child can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially."

The five World’s Best School Prizes - for Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives – were established in the wake of COVID in 2022 to give a platform to schools that are changing lives in their classrooms and far beyond their walls, sharing their best practices to help improve education everywhere. 

"This nomination highlights the transformative impact of the community school strategy through our partnership with Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322,” said Sarah Jonas, Vice President at Children’s Aid. “By integrating comprehensive health and wellness services, coupled with powerful family and community engagement, we are breaking down barriers to education and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed and thrive. We are proud to stand with MS 322 in their mission to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy development.”

The winners and finalists of the World’s Best School Prizes will be invited to the World Schools Summit in Dubai, UAE, on November 23-24, which will bring together global education leaders with the world’s best schools to help transform education.

Vikas Pota, Founder of T4 Education and the World’s Best School Prizes, said:

“Unless the world takes urgent action, it is set to miss UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 of universal quality education by 2030. The global education crisis is multifaceted and so must be the solutions.

“That's why we must look to the grassroots, to our schools at the coalface, for answers. To exceptional New York institutions like Community School Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322, whose work should make governments around the world sit up and take notice. By spreading its innovations far and wide, we can inspire change where it's needed most.”

About the school:

Community School Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322, a state secondary school in New York City, is a beacon of hope and resilience, particularly for immigrant families in its community through its holistic support. The school was catalysed by the urgent need for comprehensive educational and wellness support during the pandemic, which exposed significant socialisation and emotional distress among students. In collaboration with Children’s Aid, a non-profit organisation serving children and families, tailored programmes were created focusing on social-emotional learning, equity, and leadership to equip students to advocate for justice and equality.

The academy serves 280 students and integrates health and wellness services directly into the student experience. Children’s Aid school-based health centre and mental health services have proven pivotal. For instance, since the introduction of these services, the school has seen a remarkable reduction in school coexistence issues by 29% and disciplinary absences by 55% in 2023 alone. The school's promotion rate has soared from 93% to 96%, demonstrating the effectiveness of its holistic approach.

Administratively, the school's commitment to adaptability and inclusivity ensures programmes evolve with the community's changing needs. This proactive approach has solidified its role as a central community hub, providing crucial services like medical, dental, mental health, and nutritional support that many students would otherwise lack access to.

Building on its foundation as a community school, the academy has deepened its commitment through partnerships with Children’s Aid, local NGOs and businesses. Initiatives like career days and health workshops, specifically tailored to the needs of its diverse student body, have fortified community ties and fostered an environment where educational and holistic growth go hand in hand, enhancing the socio-economic landscape of the area.

Should Salomé Ureña Leadership Academy MS 322 win the World's Best School Prize for Community Collaboration, the school plans to further enhance its community support systems, ensuring that every student has the tools needed to succeed in all aspects of life. This funding would enable the expansion of its health services and the replication of its community school model, which has already inspired other educational institutions worldwide.

Next steps:

The winner of each of the five World’s Best School Prizes will be announced in October. The winner of each Prize will be chosen based on rigorous criteria by a Judging Academy comprising distinguished leaders across the globe including academics, educators, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, government, civil society, and the private sector. 

A prize of US$50,000 will be equally shared among the winners of the five Prizes, with each receiving an award of US$10,000. Meanwhile, the winner of the Community Choice Award, as determined by a Public Vote, will receive membership to Best School to Work – a unique programme to help them support teacher wellbeing and solve the teacher recruitment and retention crisis. 

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About T4 Education:

We believe every child, everywhere, deserves a good education. We are building the world's largest community of teachers and schools to achieve this. Together. Our digital media platform provides opportunities for educators to network, collaborate, share good practices, and support each other's efforts to improve learning and school culture. We work to amplify teachers’ voices because the world we want to see will only be built by listening to those at the heart of education.

For more information, please contact Salman Shaheen: salman@t4.education

About Children's AId:

Children’s Aid is committed to ensuring that there are no boundaries to the aspirations of young people, no limits to their potential. After more than 170 years of serving New York City’s children, youth, and their families, we know what it takes to ensure children and youth grow up strong and healthy and ready to thrive in school and life: excellent education and health care, social-emotional support, and strong stable families. Today, we serve nearly 50,000 children, youth, and their families in New York City.

For more information, please contact Anthony Ramos: anthonyr@ChildrensAidNYC.org