By Joanne Degnan, Staff Writer
ROBBINSVILLE The High School is asking students and the community to put on their sneakers and come out to support the Qasim and Ahad 5K Memorial Scholarship Race set for June 12.
Registration is now being accepted by mail and online for the event, which also includes a 1-mile fun walk, to raise funds for two $1,000 scholarships in memory of the Muzaffar brothers, of Rose Court, who died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning during a vacation in Pakistan on March 29. The scholarships, one in each boy’s name, will be given to two graduating RHS seniors in June.
”We’re expecting a tremendous turnout,” said Molly Avery, principal at Robbinsville High School, where Qasim, 15, was a freshman.
Qasim’s 12-year-old brother, Ahad, was a student at the Lewis School in Princeton.
Qasim was a gifted athlete admired by his coaches, teachers and friends for his dedicated work ethic and exuberant personality. Ahad was a talented artist whose paintings were displayed at a memorial service held at RHS on April 8.
The Qasim Muzaffar Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior that has participated in interscholastic sports at RHS for four years, has maintained at least a B average, and is interested in a career related to sports medicine, physical therapy or athletic training, Ms. Rossi said. The Ahad Muzaffar Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to a student in good academic standing who has done exceptional work in the visual arts, especially painting, she said.
Registration fees collected for the USA Track & Field-sponsored event will fund half of each $1,000 scholarship, with the Muzaffar family matching that, Assistant Principal Nicole Rossi said Monday. Students who applied for the scholarships had to write a biographical essay and meet certain qualifying criteria that reflected Qasim and Ahad unique talents and interests, she said.
Ms. Rossi said the high school is also looking for corporate sponsorships for the event, which is open to all, not just school families.
The event starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 12, at the High School and will include awards for top male and female finishers in eight different age groups. Food and beverages will be provided after the race for all participants and T-shirts will be given on race day to those who preregistered before June 8.
The entry fee is $18 before June 8 and $25 on race day. The fun walk costs $5. For further information, contact RHS teacher Natalie DiSantis at [email protected] or go to http://www.active.com/running/robbinsville-nj/1st-annual-qasim-and-ahad-memorial-5k-scholarship-race-2010.
