Schools

​West Orange High School Gets $2K Grant After Fundraising Effort

The school this September raised $48,000 for the Nikhil Badlani Foundation.

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Left to right: Superintendent Dr. Scott Cascone, NBF President Sangeeta Badlani, WOHS Principal Hayden Moore, NBF Board member Sage Gajawarala, and Student Council Advisor and teacher Catherine Connors.
Left to right: Superintendent Dr. Scott Cascone, NBF President Sangeeta Badlani, WOHS Principal Hayden Moore, NBF Board member Sage Gajawarala, and Student Council Advisor and teacher Catherine Connors. (West Orange Public Schools)

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange High School last week received a $2,000 grant from the Nikhil Badlani Foundation for which it raised $48,000 this year.

The grant was given in recognition for the school's Tenth Annual Walk/Run for Nikhil event in September. The fundraiser, held virtually due to the pandemic, raised $48,000 for the foundation.

The organization was founded in memory of Nikhil Badlani, who was killed in a crash with a distracted driver in 2011. Now, it teaches traffic safety and the dangers of distracted driving.

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The organization has also given out music and academic scholarships in excess of $30,000, provided online music lessons and worked with lawmakers on traffic safety initiatives.

The foundation also donated food to a local pantry to help feed over 100 families, and it hosted a virtual music concert starring West Orange students.

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