A seasoned veteran of the public school system, Ben Needle has had a passion for children in the special needs community since his youth. As a high school student, he volunteered every week with the Special Olympics Atlanta Region (SOAR), helping teenagers develop their athletic and social skills through a strong mentoring program.
After receiving both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Science Education, he started teaching in Marietta, GA. With a passion for working with all levels of students, he eventually became a national staff developer for the academic system Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), which targets students who have barriers to advancing their education and helping them to become college ready.
Ben was selected as his school’s teacher of the year for his efforts in 2005. With a passion for excellence, he also continued to mentor students by supporting and developing their leadership skills via his school’s student government association and leadership academy. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, whether driving a dance carpool or coaching his son in soccer.
