Nikhil Badlani Foundation and West Orange Scholarship Fund Announce Special Scholarship Challenge
WEST ORANGE, NJ – The Nikhil Badlani Foundation (NBF) and the West Orange Scholarship Fund (WOSF) have announced a special scholarship challenge to benefit the West Orange High School graduating Class of 2017.
“We are honored to announce, and be the beneficiary of, a $10,000 challenge grant issued by the Nikhil Badlani Foundation,” said West Orange Scholarship Foundation Treasurer Jim Quinn.
“The NBF will match dollar for dollar up to $10,000 contributions received by the West Orange Scholarship Fund between now and April 1, 2017 made in Nikhil’s memory,” he stated.
The Nikhil Badlani Foundation was established by Sangeeta and Sunil Badlani following the tragic death of their son Nikhil in an automobile crash on June 11, 2011, caused when a distracted driver ran a STOP sign. The mission of the Foundation is to promote traffic safety awareness and assist children in pursuing their dreams in music and academics, areas Nikhil excelled in.
Nikhil would have graduated from West Orange High School this year and it is the desire of the Badlanis to extend the scope of their annual $10,000 contribution for the Class of 2017 at the WOSF Senior Awards Night, to be held at West Orange High School on June 8.
To date, the Nikhil Badlani Foundation has distributed over $35,000 in academic scholarships; provided over $80,000 in music scholarship and aid; and spent over $80,000 to promote traffic safety. Campaigns include donated reflector strips with imprints of “Drive Smart. Save a Life” through various New Jersey towns, PSA artwork created by high school students on NJ Transit trains and buses, and the donation of a Driving Simulator to West Orange High School through the Brain Injury Alliance of NJ.
Most notably was the passage of “Nikhil’s Law,” passed in New Jersey on Aug. 4, 2015, which requires the driver's license examination as well as the driver's manual to address the dangers of failing to comply with the State's motor vehicle traffic laws and offer the applicant the opportunity to take the STOP for Nikhil Safety Pledge.
"This is a bittersweet time for us as Nikhil would have graduated this year,” noted Sunil Badlani.
“To honor his memory, we wanted to do something special to benefit the Class of 2017. Our earnest hope is that through this one-for-one $10,000 challenge match the West Orange Scholarship Fund will benefit up to an additional $20,000 and enable many more children to receive an award than in the past year," he explained.
Checks can be made payable to the West Orange Scholarship Fund, noting “Nikhil Badlani” in the memo field and mailed to the WOSF, c/o Jim Quinn, 23 Witte Place, West Orange NJ 07052.