A Boise High School student has entered the race for Boise School Board.

“It’s time that our district listens to students,” Shiva Rajbhandari wrote on his campaign web page. “We deserve action on issues that are important to today’s youth, such as climate change and the student mental health crisis.”

Rajbhandari is formally announcing his candidacy Tuesday, with an afternoon news conference scheduled at Boise High.

On his website, Rajbhandari pledged to push for later and “healthy” school start times, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines, and teacher training in climate education. “As a trustee, I’ll fight to make sure that all students are adequately prepared to face the climate crisis.”

The co-founder of a local youth branch of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, Rajbhandari works for the Idaho Conservation League as youth engagement coordinator. He has also been active on education issues at the Statehouse, testifying before legislative committees and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin’s task force on indoctrination in schools.

Rajbhandari is running for a two-year term in Boise’s trustee Race No. 4. The seat is held by Steve Schmidt, a mechanical engineer and parent appointed to the board in December.

Unlike most school districts, which hold their trustee elections in November, Boise operates on a governing charter that predates statehood. That charter calls for trustee elections in September; in all, five trustee seats will be on the ballot on Sept. 6, the day after Labor Day.

The candidate filing period begins Monday and ends July 8.