Contributions by Khira Patel

Committee leader Karthik Natraj ‘15 is the head of the IB Student Organization (IBSO) Voter Registration Project, an effort led by the Citizenship Committee to register eligible students in high school to vote.

Voter registration took on the title as the major project of the semester. They hope to reach out to the Austin community at large to promote voter registration. There will also be opportunities where citizens can pick up registration forms at booths hosted by the Committee at places such as football games and public libraries.

“We are planning on hosting an event at school by having the local candidates come down here and speak in order to have a meet your candidates event,” member of Citizenship Committee Gabby Grifno ‘16 said. “It’s all to encourage people to participate in politics because it’s important.”

IBSO’s Citizenship Committee is trying to collaborate with Rock the Vote, an Austin based organization that helps people get registered to vote. They are having an event at ACL and IBSO encourages students and adults to attend.

“In addition, we also plan to help poll workers on Election Day,” Natraj said. “We aim to encourage good citizenship.”

Other than the Citizenship Committee, the IB students have contributed to the community in many ways such as cleaning up parks and playing music for the elderly. After the Bastrop fire, students also volunteered by planting trees. They still plan to continue this project in spring.

“IBSO set the record for the most number of trees planted within a day in Bastrop,” Natraj ‘15 said.

Meetings for IBSO take place every Tuesday at 8:35 a.m. in Ms. Saenz’s room (D1310).