Six Suffolk County students Score Adventureland Scholarships

Thirteen Long Island students received $65,000 in scholarships from Adventureland’s Helping Hands Foundation, including six students from Suffolk County.

Each student received a $5,000 Vivian & Tony Gentile Scholarship during the foundation’s eighth annual Friends and Family VIP Night at Adventureland in Farmingdale.

The six Suffolk County recipients were Brady Beddoe, a Lindenhurst Senior High School graduate beginning his freshman year at Farmingdale State College, where he is majoring in biology and pre-dental studies, and Jayla Bryan, a Wyandanch Memorial High School graduate attending Adelphi University and majoring in computer science.

Sophia Corso of East Islip is studying nuclear medicine technology at Molloy University, while Haley Hannigan, an East Islip High School graduate, is beginning her freshman year at Molloy University and majoring in nursing.

Julia Scourakis, a Hampton Bays High School graduate, is also attending Molloy University, where she is majoring in social work.

Juyoung Yang, a John H. Glenn High School graduate, is beginning his freshman year at Stony Brook University and majoring in computer science.

The scholarships were a highlight of a major fundraising night for the Helping Hands Foundation. More than 2,000 people attended the event, which raised more than $475,000 for future scholarships and community causes. More than 70 Long Island businesses and organizations sponsored or contributed to the fundraiser.

“Raising over $475K takes a village and we are honored to have you as part of it,” Helping Hands Foundation board member Jeanine Pacella said.

The Helping Hands Foundation was established in 2013 in memory of Adventureland founding father Tony Gentile and has since raised more than $2.5 million to support Long Island communities.

The foundation said its scholarship program has awarded $462,000 to local students since its inception.