Dassault Falcon Hosts Awards Ceremony for the Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund

TETERBORO, NJ – On Wednesday, June 3, 2009, Dassault Falcon hosted the 23rd annual awards ceremony for the Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund.

The fund was established in 1986, and has provided more than $124,000 in scholarship awards to nearly 150 individual students. Sponsors who donate to the fund include a number of the nearly 70 companies based at Teterboro Airport, as well as donations from off-airport companies, suppliers and private individuals.

One of the goals of the fund, according to John Panarello, Co-Chairman of the scholarship committee, is to help inform young people about the numerous career opportunities in aviation, engineering, and related fields of study.

To be eligible, scholarship applicants must be in the top 25 percent of their class and intend to pursue a two or four year college program in aviation/aerospace or one of a number of related fields, such as math, science, and engineering.

This year, nine scholarships of $1,500 each were awarded to students representing 14 different towns in the surrounding area. Also, present at the ceremony were the mayor of Moonachie, Deputy Mayor of Hackensack and a representative from the Bergen County Executive's Office. The awards ceremony provides an opportunity for people from local communities to see first-hand the environmental and safety initiatives of Teterboro Airport, which employs approximately 1,200 people.

Mauricio Delgado, one of this year's scholarship recipients, is a graduate of Teaneck High School and is going on to science and pre-med studies at Essex County Community College. "I'm really grateful for this opportunity," says Delgado. "As a student it's always good to have some help."

Dassault Falcon has hosted the Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund awards ceremony for three consecutive years and has been a major contributor to the fund since 2001.