Kennen Hutchison

Kennen Hutchison joined Beacon Academy after building a diverse and impactful teaching career, having taught math and science at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels, including a short stint teaching Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics here at Beacon Academy. Originally from rural Illinois, Kennen began his teaching career as an ESL teaching aide, where he advocated for student rights and adapted curriculum to meet the diverse needs of his students. During his time as an educator and faculty leader, Kennen has coached students and colleagues, advised student leadership groups, and designed inclusive, student-centered curricula that foster engagement, equity, and belonging. Beyond the classroom, Kennen is also a globally recognized science communicator, utilizing his decade of research expertise to combat medical misinformation and promote accessible STEM education through platforms such as MTV News, The King of Random, Uncontrolled Variables, and his flagship company, Acquainted World Media. Kennen graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and from Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy with a Master of Arts in Learning Sciences, in addition to completing five years of Ph.D. research and coursework in Life Sciences at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine. When not building equitable learning communities, Kennen’s happy places include shooting hoops at DePaul University, spending time with his wonderful partner, and building backyard science experiments with his cousins back home.