Gabriela Amaya Garners Latino Legal Leaders Scholarship

Gabriela Amaya is something really special. So special that the Huntington High School senior is the perfect for the first ever Latino Legal Leaders Scholarship presented in the amount of $2,000 by the law firm of Gabriel and Moroff.

Ms. Amaya plans to study sociology at Hofstra University. “The key to my success has been my family, who has never once held a bad grade against me, my friends for their moral support during moments when everything felt impossible and my teachers for always having faith in me.”

Mr. Moroff and his wife, who has served as Huntington UFSD’s director of world languages, English as a new language and bilingual programs since July 1, 2015 presented the new scholarship at the high school’s senior scholarships and awards night earlier this month.

“I would like to thank the Huntington administration for giving my firm, Gabriel and Moroff a chance to give back to the community and to be part of this very special night,” Jason Moroff said. “We chose Huntington for a special reason; my wife Judy Moroff is an administrator here and I see every day how much this community means to her.”

The Latino Legal Leaders Scholarship was created by Gabriel and Moroff to support students of Latino descent who are passionate about pursuing a career in law. “This scholarship is about academics but also about leadership and the drive to create meaningful change in our communities,” Mr. Moroff told the crowd at the ceremony.

Ms. Amaya is a two year participant in the highly regarded Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute sponsored by the New York State Assembly.

“I want to be the voice that helps families feel seen and heard, especially those who feel lost in a system they don't understand,” wrote Ms. Amaya in her scholarship essay.

“That sense of empathy and purpose is exactly what the legal field needs and who this scholarship was created for,” Mr. Moroff said. “With that in mind it is a privilege to recognize one remarkable young woman who wrote those words. Ms. Gabriela Amaya.”

The teenager said her participation in the Albany leadership institute “truly changed my perspective on what it means to be Latina and deepened the pride I feel as a Salvadoran American.”

Ms. Amaya was honored earlier this spring as a Distinguished Senior after compiling a grade average of 90 or better during every semester of high school.

“Gabriela is an outstanding student and a dedicated leader in her school,” Mr. Moroff said. “Her commitment to justice is rooted in her community, watching families navigate difficult legal systems inspiring her to want to become an immigration lawyer. She’s driven by the desire to help families like her own, to advocate for those who are often voiceless and to make the legal system more accessible to Latino communities. It is with great pride that I present the 2025 Latino Legal Leaders Scholarship to Gabriela Amaya. Gabriela, we are inspired by you and honored to be a small part of your journey.”