Verizon Wireless has selected one hundred semi-finalists from Los Angeles, San Jose, El Paso, Salt Lake City and Seattle for the my Fabulous Quince Contest.
You can vote for the grand prize winner from September 2nd through September 14th. Voters can cast their vote using text messaging or on the My Fabulous 15 website www.myfabulous15.com.
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The Verizon Wireless My Fabulous 15 contest awards one lucky teen a Quince party valued at $45,000. The party is for the winner and 200 guests. It comes complete with food, a limo ride to the party for the winner and a private concert with International pop/R&B artist Jay Sean.
The voting period is September 2, 2010 through September 14, 2010.
Vote online at www.myfabulous15.com or via text. To vote via text, text the semi-finalist's three digit voting number to 41055. The voting number for each semi-finalist can be found on www.myfabulous15.com.
The winner of the Grand Prize will be announced the week of September 13, 2010.
The finalistas have many tales of woe to tell. Here are some quotes:
"This was the day that I found out that my father had been cheating on my mom for the past 15 years. Then he walked out on me, my two brothers and my mom. Then we ended up losing our house."
"Unfortunately this year, the year in which I turned fifteen, also came with something that I never saw when I would dream of my Quince: financial hardships. Due to the economic recession, my father has faced a tremendous cut-back in hours at a job that requires back-breaking labor. My mother, a part-time school assistant, lives with the fear that at any moment, she could be laid-off. Both of my parents not only live with the risk of losing their job looming above them, but they also bear the responsibility of paying two college tuitions."
"We've been looking forward to have a Quince, but this year my parents told us that were weren't going to be able to have our Quince due to the bad economy. I took the news harshly, but I had to understand"
"My mother, being a single parent of three kids, living from pay check to pay check, and having no financial support for my brother and sister. I know the $10,000 cash prize would help out a lot for me in pursuing my dreams of going to college. Right now, I have about $500 for college from winning a scholarship in the San Mateo Youth Foundation; and I know that's not enough to put me through college."
"Neither my father or mother are able to contribute into me having a Quince. My father is unable to work because he is disabled from being completely blind in his left eye, not being able to see clearly in his right eye, needing to go to dialysis three out of seven days of the week due to renal failure, and has chronic type one diabetes."