Lasting Legacy: Inspiring IB Students Who Turned Compassion Into Action

The International Baccalaureate Program (IB) is an innovative and challenging curriculum that prepares IB students for success beyond the classroom. As part of this program, students brainstorm and implement a year-long community service project. GHC is proud of the creative and charitable endeavors students pursue. The projects range from offering tutoring services that help members of the community prepare for their citizenship exam, to partnering with The House of Ruth, an organization based in Los Angeles that provides services to domestic violence survivors.

1. GHC students tutor for U.S. Citizenship Exams by Beaux Cable:

This IB project provides an opportunity for community members on the path to becoming U.S. citizens by providing tutoring services for the citizenship exam. This is a student-led program that offers free one-on-one tutoring for the U.S. Citizenship Exam. They also provide free study materials tailored to make the test as easy as possible. The program is “designed to support and guide those aspiring to become U.S. Citizens. The student tutors are knowledgeable, compassionate, and dedicated to helping [community members] prepare for the exam,” explains Cable. They accomplish this by offering virtual tutoring sessions with study materials that include possible topics that could be asked during the exam. The best part is, “this program is available to all students and parents at Granada Hills Charter preparing for the U.S. Citizenship Exam!” (Cable, 1) This project is a unique opportunity for the GHC community founded on a humanitarian cause.

2. A Little Bit of Sweetener + The House of Ruth aid Domestic Violence Survivors, by Elizabeth Zuniga and Anna Zardarian:

IB grade 12 students, Elizabeth Zuniga and Anna Zardarian run a dessert shop, A Little Bit of Sweetener. They donate 100% of their profits to The House of Ruth, a domestic violence organization in Los Angeles. The organization's mission is to “help victims of domestic violence and ensure their well-being” and work towards “helping people rebuild their lives and find the peace they deserve.” It started as just an IB project, but it quickly expanded to more! Zardarian and Zuniga's shop has been so successful that they have applied for a business/catering license! You can view some of their desserts and check out their current menu on their Instagram, @a_little_bit_of_sweetener.
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The projects that IB students at GHC undertake, provide a space for them to be part of a greater community of service, develop skills that can be used in the future, learn about different cultures, and engage with people from all walks of life.