Belleview High senior wins four-year scholarship

Valeria Alfonzo Molina

When Valeria Alfonzo Molina wrote her essay about James Weldon Johnson earlier this year, she never dreamed it would win her a prepaid four-year college scholarship.

The Belleview High School senior entered the annual Black History Month essay contest sponsored in part by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. She got word of her prize this week.

In her essay, Alfonzo Molina wrote about Johnson, a Florida-born educator, poet, novelist, journalist, anthologist, diplomat, lyricist, lawyer and civil rights activist.

Black History Month is celebrated each year in Florida during February, and this year’s contest theme was “Community Champions – Celebrating the Contributions of African Americans in Florida’s Communities.”

It’s not the first time a Belleview High student has won the contest. Seven years ago, Javan Latson won the top prize.