Some brand names that I can recommend are Yamaha YAS-23 and Selmer AS 300 . These are excellent student model horns. I have played a Keilwerth ST 90 student model alto and it was also very nice. This strength of reed is fine for beginners. Do not buy into the common misconception that the harder strength of reed that you play on, the better you are.
Most players use a medium strength reed and a medium size mouthpiece.
Using a reed that is too hard will lead to the very bad habit of biting. Check the neck strap to be sure it is fully adjustable. You should also have a cleaning cloth of some sort and some cork grease. Now you're all set. The first thing you want to do after opening the case is to select a reed and get it wet.