The Heritage Foundation has announced the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) as the recipient of its Innovation Prize. The CCV will receive a $100,000 award to support its Education Restoration Initiative, which aims to address issues within Ohio's government-run education system.
The initiative plans to expand the Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN) model, offering full-time, in-person Christian schooling from Monday through Friday. Leveraging Ohio's state voucher program, the CCV intends to provide this education at little or no cost to students, particularly those below the federal poverty line. The organization also plans to launch numerous schools across Ohio and extend this model to other states.
Upon announcing the award, Heritage President Dr. Kevin Roberts stated: "Countless organizations and families are on the front lines fighting for our kids, and we need them now more than ever to reject the Left's radical indoctrination agenda. So much of our nation's societal decay stems from our education system, and institutions like CCV are spearheading the effort to save our children and restore morality and sanity in our schools. It's a privilege to support and celebrate their righteous efforts, which will undoubtedly restore quality and sound curriculum for future generations in Ohio and our great nation."
Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, echoed these sentiments: "Our nation is facing an education crisis. Too many agenda driven bureaucrats are pushing political ideologies in the classroom while fundamentally failing the next generation academically. Center for Christian Virtue’s Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN) has proven that when churches, Christian schools, and community leaders come together, we can create new and better opportunities for families by fighting for school choice, parental rights, and religious freedom. Thanks to the Heritage Foundation’s leadership and support, we can and will build new institutions to transform culture and change lives.”
This marks the fourth round of Heritage Innovation Prizes awarded by The Heritage Foundation. Previous winners in 2023 included Communio, the National Association of Scholars, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Speech First, and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. The awards are sponsored by The Heritage Foundation’s endowment for innovative conservative projects.
