Education & Opportunity

At the foundation of the American Dream is a simple truth: When young people, with support from their parents and mentors, reap the benefits of a quality education, they create futures of limitless possibility.

But what about the financial, societal, and personal obstacles that stand in the way of this quality education? How can every young person and concerned parent nurture the interests, discover the talents, and embrace the opportunities that lead to lifelong learning?

That’s where 29-year-old Ben Kaplan and his weekly newspaper column come into play. Kaplan is one part best-selling author and one part Harvard-trained economist. He’s not only a frequent contributor to top national TV and radio shows, but he is also a popular motivational speaker at high schools and colleges across the nation.

In his weekly column, Kaplan cuts through the academic jargon and mind-numbing statistics to provide step-by-step recipes and inspirational stories for conquering educational, financial, and family challenges.

Accessible to teens, twenty-somethings, and parents alike, he’s the people’s expert: Rather than talking down from an ivory tower, Kaplan writes from the experience of a successful young person and recent college graduate who has “been there and done that.”

The result is a column that empowers readers each week—one student, parent, and family at a time.