GROW » About Us

About Us

About Grow GROW is an local teen organization that works in partnership with the San Jose Public Library Foundation to raise money for the Calabazas Library. The GROW president Vikram Kanth wanted to thank the library for all it had done for him throughout his life and saw the opportunity to do so when he heard about the library’s need of funds after reconstruction. He gathered a group of like-minded people. Their solution is GROW. GROW is an acronym: Give. Raise. Organize. Work. In reality, the process is in the exact opposite order: Work. Organize. Raise.Give. However, WORG sounds too much like the “wargs,” the bloodthirsty wolf-like beasts that the orcs ride on from the Lord of the Rings. Therefore, GROW was born.
Officers
President – Vikram Kanth
Libraries have always played an important role in my life. I have been a library user. I have also been a library volunteer. I’m currently a Friend of the Cupertino Library. I have been involved with the Calabazas library since I moved into this area five years ago. Initially I was just a library user. Last year, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to work there through the San Jose city’s Work Experience Program.I continued to be in touch with the library as a summer volunteer.When I learned that the San Jose Public Library Foundation would need 500,000 dollars for the Calabazas Library after its reconstruction I started to think about what I could do for the library. This is my solution, GROW.
VP of Operations / Designer – Alice Lin
I masquerade as a typical member of Lynbrook High’s junior class and parliamentary debate captain of Lynbrook Speech and Debate by day and indulge my eccentricities at unholy hours with my meticulous perusal of my RSS feeds, expansive collection of delicious bookmarks, productive periods of daydreaming, and sporadic experimentation in design. I’ve been a patron of the Calabazas Library for the past 10 years and am looking forward to revisiting the library after graduation to see the new branch.
VP of Finances – Rohit Unni
I have been a volunteer at the Calabazas Library, and have also been a patron there for years. I have also volunteered with the San Jose Youth Symphony and I am currently a volunteer at Sequoia Hospital. I have been an avid reader of books and patron of libraries my whole life, so when I heard about GROW, I was eager to assist in supporting the library.
VP of Public Relations – Badri Krishnan
Libraries have contributed to a big part of my life. I would always go to the library as kid and teenager to learn more and study. I am currently studying as a junior at Monta Vista High School. Other than studies I play a very active role in the Bay Area music community by performing, and also helping organize certain events. I joined GROW as an officer because I feel that the Calabazas Library plays a big role in the San Jose community. I feel that GROW has the potential to help the community become enriched and healthy.
VP of Information Technology – Robert Ying
I’ve been going to Calabazas since I saw a short presentation on the library in first grade. Since then, I’ve taken up reading just about everything I can get my hands on, and it has become one of the central parts of my life. I first found out about GROW when Alice approched me to code a “simple website”. Of course, being a curious person, I decided to learn more about the organization that I’d be making this website for. After finding out the goal of GROW, I decided to join and help out further for a good cause. The result? this website.

About Grow

GROW is an local teen organization that works in partnership with the San Jose Public Library Foundation to raise money for the Calabazas Library. The GROW president Vikram Kanth wanted to thank the library for all it had done for him throughout his life and saw the opportunity to do so when he heard about the library’s need of funds after reconstruction. He gathered a group of like-minded people. Their solution is GROW.

GROW is an acronym:

Give. Raise. Organize. Work.

In reality, the process is in the exact opposite order:

Work. Organize. Raise.Give.

However, WORG sounds too much like the “wargs,” the bloodthirsty wolf-like beasts that the orcs ride on from the Lord of the Rings.

Therefore, GROW was born.

Officers

President – Vikram Kanth

Libraries have always played an important role in my life. I have been a library user. I have also been a library volunteer. I’m currently a Friend of the Cupertino Library.

I have been involved with the Calabazas library since I moved into this area five years ago. Initially I was just a library user. Last year, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to work there through the San Jose city’s Work Experience Program.I continued to be in touch with the library as a summer volunteer.When I learned that the San Jose Public Library Foundation would need 500,000 dollars for the Calabazas Library after its reconstruction I started to think about what I could do for the library. This is my solution, GROW.

VP of Operations / Designer – Alice Lin

I masquerade as a typical member of Lynbrook High’s junior class and parliamentary debate captain of Lynbrook Speech and Debate by day and indulge my eccentricities at unholy hours with my meticulous perusal of my RSS feeds, expansive collection of delicious bookmarks, productive periods of daydreaming, and sporadic experimentation in design.

I’ve been a patron of the Calabazas Library for the past 10 years and am looking forward to revisiting the library after graduation to see the new branch.

VP of Finances – Rohit Unni

I have been a volunteer at the Calabazas Library, and have also been a patron there for years. I have also volunteered with the San Jose Youth Symphony and I am currently a volunteer at Sequoia Hospital. I have been an avid reader of books and patron of libraries my whole life, so when I heard about GROW, I was eager to assist in supporting the library.

VP of Public Relations – Badri Krishnan

Libraries have contributed to a big part of my life. I would always go to the library as kid and teenager to learn more and study. I am currently studying as a junior at Monta Vista High School. Other than studies I play a very active role in the Bay Area music community by performing, and also helping organize certain events. I joined GROW as an officer because I feel that the Calabazas Library plays a big role in the San Jose community. I feel that GROW has the potential to help the community become enriched and healthy.

VP of Information Technology – Robert Ying

I’ve been going to Calabazas since I saw a short presentation on the library in first grade. Since then, I’ve taken up reading just about everything I can get my hands on, and it has become one of the central parts of my life. I first found out about GROW when Alice approched me to code a “simple website”. Of course, being a curious person, I decided to learn more about the organization that I’d be making this website for. After finding out the goal of GROW, I decided to join and help out further for a good cause. The result? this website.