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Health & Fitness

Courtney O'Bryan Memorial Scholarships Awarded

 

Courtney O’Bryan was widely known as a sweet young lady, but she could be a fiery competitor when her Blue Devil teammates needed her to be. The 2011 Huntington High School alum will always be remembered around her alma mater as a smiling, happy and personable classmate and teammate who quickly won over everyone she encountered.

A starter on Huntington’s varsity girls’ soccer and basketball teams, Ms. O’Bryan played to win. She was equally dedicated to her studies and was very well-liked by the high school faculty. Her sharp mind, mesmerizing smile, easygoing nature and sense of humor endeared the teenager to teachers and students alike.

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Ms. O’Bryan, who moved to Huntington from Lynbrook as a fifth grader, graduated near the top of her class and headed off to Penn State University, where she dived into life on campus, participating in the school’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, better known as THON, which raises funds to battle pediatric cancer.

Over the past 35 years, THON has raised more than $80 million for The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. A large chunk of the monies have been collected during so-called “canning” weekends, which see Penn State students fanning out into other cities and states to solicit donations for the THON initiative.

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After visiting her family in Huntington for Thanksgiving and stopping by the Huntington High School gym to shoot baskets with her former teammates and coaches, Ms. O’Bryan returned to the Penn State campus for a week of classes.

On Friday, December 2, 2011, Ms. O’Bryan was a passenger in a car on its way to Buffalo for a canning weekend to raise money for THON and pediatric cancer research. At about 8:30 p.m. the car reportedly hit an icy patch of roadway in Lewis Run in northern Pennsylvania, careening out of control, flipping over, sliding down a highway embankment and crashing into a tree.

The Huntington alum, who was riding in the backseat of the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder, was mortally injured and four other students in the car were hospitalized. The accident occurred on State Road 219, about one mile south of State Route 59 according to the Pennsylvania State Police.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Ms. O’Bryan’s family created a scholarship to perpetuate her memory and promote the qualities she so abundantly possessed. The scholarship is awarded to one female and one male senior athlete who is college bound and who participated in more than one team sport “exemplifying character, leadership, strong school spirit and sportsmanship.”

This year, seniors Maggie Askerberg and Connor Birchard were recognized by Ms. O’Bryan’s family, which presented each of the scholar-athletes with $1,000 awards and handsome plaques. Ms. Askerberg is headed to the University of Arizona where she is interested in studying either business or engineering. Mr. Birchard will attend Mercyhurst College where he intends to focus on intelligence studies.

An Exceptional Student & Athlete

Ms. Askerberg has been an exceptional student and athlete. Her 93 academic grade average was earned while completing a string of top level courses. Besides routinely qualifying for a spot on Huntington’s honor roll, the teenager received the New York State Scholar Athlete Award during field hockey, fencing and lacrosse seasons.

While serving as captain of the Huntington field hockey team last fall, Ms. Askerberg earned All-Conference honors. She was one of the top fencers in Suffolk, garnering All-County recognition in foil three consecutive years. The Blue Devil star was All-Long Island as a junior. As the fencing team’s captain, she led by example and was role model for her teammates. She also played three years of high school lacrosse.

Ms. Askerberg was a member of a Blue Devil team in 11 of 12 possible high school seasons. “Her coaches and teammates will miss her smile and fun-loving attitude as she sets out for the west to attend the University of Arizona,” Mr. O’Bryan said.

A Standout Scholar & Athlete

Mr. Birchard was a standout scholar and athlete over the past four years. A regular member of Huntington High School’s high honor roll, his 95 academic grade average was compiled while exclusively taking numerous Advanced Placement and honors courses.

The teenager earned varsity letters with the Blue Devil basketball and lacrosse teams. As captain of the basketball squad, he helped lead Huntington deep into the Section XI playoffs and was later named Academic All-League. A New York State Scholar Athlete Award recipient, Mr. Birchard earned All-Division honors in lacrosse while playing a key role in Huntington’s drive to the Suffolk finals.

“His dedication and devotion is unwavering to the sports he plays, to the teammates he plays with and to the coaches he plays for,” said Bill O’Bryan, Ms. O’Bryan’s father, who presented the scholarship awards. “He has always led by example and has motivated his teammates to do their very best. His magnificent disposition is rare and will be missed by all.”

“I was honored to receive the Courtney O’Bryan Award and was so shocked and thrilled to be recognized for my hard work in all three sport seasons,” Ms. Askerberg said. “Being the female recipient meant so much to me because it was in honor of an amazing girl and stands for so much.”

The First Recipients

Huntington Class of 2012 members Laurelle Byrne-Cody and John Deren McCarthy were the recipients of the first O’Bryan scholarship awards. This year’s scholarships were presented near the end of the school year during the senior athletic awards banquet in Huntington’s Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.

“As senior athletes, you have all accomplished a great deal in your years at Huntington High School,” Ms. O’Bryan’s mother, Lisa Brigandi told more than 100 athletes and a crowd of about 300 at the awards banquet. “I can remember attending this same dinner with Courtney and while she did not get any big award, she reveled in the accolades of her friends; she embraced a night honor all of those involved in the Huntington sports program. That was who Courtney was. She was a cheerleader, a voice of reason, a mentor, an overachiever, a friend and mostly, that smile on the sidelines, field or court.”

Joining her mother and father at the awards presentation was Ms. O’Bryan’s stepfather, Nick Brigandi and stepmother, Diane O’Bryan. “Over the last year and a half we have been lucky enough to have people from both Huntington and Penn State share the stories of their time with Courtney,” her mother said. “The Courtney I knew loved being physical, working hard and having fun! She was often seen on a field or court with that smile on her face or giggling, especially if it didn’t look like the game was going the right way.”

Huntington’s heart is still broken over the loss of Ms. O’Bryan. But, her memory lives on through the scholarship that bears her name.

 

 

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