What drives human flourishing for the rising generation?
Too often, efforts to break the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage are animated by a negative pursuit: anti-poverty; anti-racism; anti-crime… the list goes on.
But what if efforts to empower young people were focused on creating a positive, not driven by an effort to eliminate a negative? Not on fighting failure, but on replicating success? This asset- versus deficit-focused approach prioritizes reproducing the conditions that centuries of human development have proven to empower young adults to lead self-determined lives of meaning and purpose.
It is in this spirit that we are proud to announce the launch of the FREE Fellowship, organized by the American Enterprise Institute. This fellowship is focused on identifying and elevating outstanding educators and other practitioners who work with children across our nation and who are committed to strengthening the four institutional pillars that drive human flourishing and help young people become agents of their own uplift: family, religion, education, and entrepreneurship (FREE).
FREE Fellows will be invited to Washington, DC for a conference in July 2025 in addition to a closing event at the conclusion of the fellowship (travel and lodging will be covered), given access to exclusive virtual programming, and provided with opportunities to hear from national experts and network with fellow educators. These experiences will enable Fellows to learn more about the four pillars of FREE and how these factors contribute to stronger communities, healthier kids, and brighter futures. Fellows will also be provided a modest personal stipend upon completion of the program.
In turn, they will be asked to pilot the Agency Curriculum, a supplemental, 30-lesson ninth grade curriculum focused on instilling a sense of agency in students. These lessons were developed by Ian in partnership with Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Education Policy.
Fellows will be expected to stay in touch with the FREE Initiative during and following their fellowship, so that we can stay up-to-date with their progress, continue to connect them with new opportunities, and solicit valuable feedback on the curriculum and adjust it based on real-world experience. In addition to their personal stipend, participating educators will be extended up to $500 in reimbursements for expenses related to curriculum implementation.
Who should consider applying? While the curriculum is designed for 9th grade students, educators teaching 8th, 9th, 10th, and equivalently-advanced students will be considered. Moreover, we are accepting applications from anyone who teaches or is involved in character formation, spanning public district, charter, private, homeschool, and micro-school teachers, after-school program leaders, Boys and Girls Club counselors, and more. This Fellowship will span the breadth of our nation accounting for all the ways in which young people are formed as adults and citizens.
We are recruiting 25 Fellows for the 2025–2026 academic year. Applications close at midnight (ET) on Friday, March 14th, 2025. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for this fellowship, please apply here.
The decisions young people make between the ages of 14 to 24—what we call the “Deciding Decade”—while not completely determinative, will have enormous influence over the quality of the rest of their lives. This fellowship is focused on ensuring young people during this crucial decade embrace the pillars of FREE, making positive, informed choices that set them up for success and flourishing for the rest of their lives.
We hope you join us in this mission—and we look forward to reading your applications.
Ian Rowe | Joe Pitts
January 17, 2025
aei.org