Ridge Junior Establishes International Organization to Assist Indian Juveniles

Know a young person or group who has accomplished something special, or achieved a milestone? They might be our next Whiz Kid.

Anish Patel, a junior at Ridge High School, has been working for about a year on his project to help provide education to Indian youths ages 12 to 18 who are living in a detention center in Baroda, India. Some other local students will be chosen to accompany him on a planned trip this summer. An informational meeting is planned for 2 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 27, at the

The organization also is holding a book drive called Books Behind Bars. The books collected from this book drive will be donated to the juvenile facility in India for the use of the juveniles when the group arrives, he said. "Thus far, we have collected over 200 books. "

Whiz Kid of the Week: Anish Patel

• Whiz Kid's Major Activity: Founder of Uplift Humanity, to help assimilate imprisoned juveniles in India back into society. Planning trip with other students to India next summer to provide education for Indian youths held in a detention center for minor crimes.
• Whiz Kid's School/Church/Community Center: Junior at Ridge High School.
• Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: "I came up with the idea of Uplift Humanity while I was vacationing in India this summer. While riding in rickshaws through the streets of Baroda, I looked around and realized that India is inundated with neglected, underprivileged teenagers. After conducting research at the local library, I learned that juveniles in detention facilities do not receive much care, and thus find it extremely difficult to assimilate back into society. After discussing the idea with my parents and a few friends, I established Uplift Humanity. Uplift Humanity is an organization dedicated to aiding those who society has rejected." The program to help juveniles in detention centers assimilate back into society through education has attracted the attention of about 30 interested students in New Jersey. Each student who wishes to travel to India this summer is required to submit an application, Anish said. Applications will be reviewed by the board members, and students will be notified about their acceptance on March 15. Along with a student team, the organization also has a Board of Directors, who manage the administrative functions of the organization. For information about the directors, you can go online. 
• Whiz Kid's Key to Awesomeness:  The organization's motto is that it is designed "by teenagers, for teenagers." However, Anish said he also has been working with a Ridge High School teacher, Binti Thakkar, to help create a curriculum for this summer, which will include everything from computer literacy to ethical and moral decision making, etiquette and working on reading and writing skills. Anish, in a group of about 15 students, expects to implement the curriculum during a three-week trip.