Success Academy’s Impact at the New York City Marathon

The New York City Marathon turned out to be a significant event for Success Academy, the largest charter school network in New York City.

Over 50 educators and employees, including Eva Moskowitz, the founder and CEO, participated in this marathon to raise up to $1 million in pledges to fund the school’s programs.

Interestingly, the runners from the charter network trained together in preparation for the event.

“Education is an endurance sport,” Moskowitz remarked just before embarking on the challenging 42.2-mile journey through the city’s five boroughs.

Moskowitz, at 61, ran her first marathon in the city last year, showing a strong commitment to both education and athletics.

Leading the team was Nick Jaspers, the Head of History at Success Academy. His enthusiasm and leadership were evident throughout the training.

Moskowitz’s daughter, Hannah, who graduated from Success Academy and is now a student at the University of Pennsylvania, also returned to New York to run alongside her mother and the team.

Each of the 53 runners aimed to raise at least $3,000, a goal that could potentially total a significant sum. To ensure success, Moskowitz mentioned she would cover any shortfall for those who might not hit their target.

This fundraising will directly support initiatives that allow more students to take university courses while enrolled at Success. Last year, around 300 students participated in the University Access Program, which offered such opportunities.

Success Academy prides itself on academic performance. Students have consistently earned top scores on state standardized tests in math and English. In fact, the pass rate for students in grades three through seven in charter schools was nearly double that of their peers in traditional public schools.

For instance, 92.5% of the 9,280 students passed the English Language Arts exam in 2025, while 96.2% showed proficiency in math, demonstrating the effectiveness of their educational approach.