By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
Alyssa Rivera, an 11th grade student at Archbishop McCarthy High School, was crowned Miss Florida Teen USA 2010.
A resident of Miramar, Alyssa is not only busy with school work and clubs, she helps young girls build self-esteem, sings, models and speaks on the topic of HIV/AIDS awareness to Latino youths.
�Alyssa is a very involved student,� said Richard Perhla, McCarthy High principal. �She does well in school and is involved in our Amor en Accion (Love in Action) and the peace and justice clubs.�
Utilizing her Catholic faith as a catalyst, Alyssa believes that spreading the message of HIV/AIDS awareness through abstinence is the way to self-esteem and confidence for young people.
Sometime next year, Alyssa hopes to visit an orphanage in Honduras with the Amor Y Vida Fundacion of Florida, which supports orphaned children in Honduras who were born with HIV/AIDS.
�They have no one and no place to live because society has shunned them,� said Alyssa. �Through (McCarthy High) I am actively involved in helping create awareness and assist the foundation to help these children.�
Aside from winning the title, Alyssa also won a $40,000 college scholarship to Nova Southeastern University and the opportunity to compete for Miss Teen USA 2011 in July 2010.
Miss Florida Teen USA is an affiliation of the Miss Universe Organization.
