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Ben Aiken joined the American Youth Policy Forum as a Program Associate in 2009. His work focuses on the role of expanded learning opportunities in closing achievement gaps and preparing youth for college and career success.
Before joining AYPF, Ben was a 2006 Teach For America corps member and taught English at Kensington Culinary Arts High School in Philadelphia. After his two years with TFA, he remained at the school for a third year and held the position of Academic Coordinator, overseeing out-of-school programs and English standardized testing initiatives at the school. While at Kensington, Ben also coached the varsity wrestling team and started the school newspaper, The Kensington Voice. He was the school's 2008-2009 recipient of the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation
Distinguished Teaching Award.
Ben earned his Bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland in 2005 and his Master's degree in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008.