Ben Kurian is a junior at Olentangy Liberty High School in Columbus, Ohio. His work sits between healthcare, civic engagement, and journalism.
He co-founded SPAN, a student-led, nonpartisan healthcare advocacy organization active across eighteen states, and leads Project MedBridge (his CYL project), which has rerouted more than 30,000 pounds of surplus medical equipment for global redistribution. He has worked with elected officials, public health leaders, and policymakers on issues ranging from healthcare access to medical education. Ben was the youngest speaker at the 2026 Civic Learning Week National Forum in Philadelphia, where he joined a student panel on the role of young people in democratic life.
Outside that work, Ben is a competitive debater, multi-instrumentalist, and photographer. He plays piano, violin, drums, and bass guitar and serves as Assistant Concertmaster of the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra. He hopes to study public health and pursue developmental psychiatry.
