Ben Hutt from Teach NJ visited The Idea School last week to talk to 11th and 12th graders about the importance of voting and particularly of knowing one’s local politicians. Hutt stressed the need to use the ballot box to get on politicians’ radars: If citizens don’t vote, the politicians won’t put their concerns on their agendas.

Sam Passner, a senior, organized the event, which culminated in a voter registration drive for those eligible to register. The voter registration drive is part of a passion project Passner undertook in a political activism class that he took at the school last semester. Passner is determined to register as many people as possible before the next election as part of a personal Get Out the Vote campaign!