News Release

7^th Grader Terrance Hudson of Brooksville Wins Governor's Black History Month Essay Contest And 4-Year Scholarship from Prepaid College Foundation

"We can realize that this diversity is what unites us." -Terrance Hudson

Terrance Hudson of Brooksville, who wants to encourage young people to volunteer, was announced on Thursday as one of three winners of Governor Charlie Crist's Black History Month essay contest. Terrance, a 7th grader at Powell Middle School, will receive a four-year Florida Prepaid College scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. Governor Crist and Foundation Board Member Christyne Hamilton presented the scholarship to Terrance on Feb. 12 at the celebration of Black History Month at the Governor's Mansion.

Valued at nearly $16,000, the Florida Prepaid College scholarship covers four years of tuition and local fees at a Florida public university. The Black History Month scholarship, established by the Governor's Office in 2002 with support from the Foundation, has been granted for seven years to students in elementary, middle and high school who compose outstanding essays.

This year, students were challenged with the question: "The recent election of our nation's first black president demonstrates how far racial equality has advanced since the Emancipation Proclamation was penned by Abraham Lincoln 146 years ago. In his acceptance speech, our new president-elect encouraged all citizens to work together for our nation's continued growth and prosperity. As a citizen of Florida, one of the nation's most diverse and culturally rich states, what will you do to contribute to a brighter future for Florida and all its citizens?"

Terrance wrote, "Florida is filled with diversity. If we can come together and keep that diversity alive, we can realize that this diversity is what unites us - what makes us special. I believe that is what makes President Obama unique. It is not because he is African-American that got him elected; it is because he gave us something to believe in - he gave us back our hope." Mentioning the President's call for service, Terrance wrote, "By having more classes in school that educate the children about their Floridian roots as well as making volunteering more appealing to the youth, it could encourage them to volunteer at an earlier age."

Foundation Board Chairman Ted Hoepner said, "Congratulations to Terrance Hudson. The Foundation is committed to its mission of offering college scholarships to the many deserving Florida students who may have thought college was out of reach." A total of 27,509 scholarships have been awarded by the Foundation since its establishment in 1990.

Read Terrance's essay

www.floridaprepaidcollegefoundation.com