Verizon is throwing a really big 15th birthday party in San Jose, California.
Athaly Ramos will celebrate her Quinceañera with a $45,000 dream party sponsored by Verizon Wireless with a performance by
Hip-Hop star Sean Kingston.
Athaly Ramos from San Jose, won the Verizon Wireless'
"My Fabulous 15" contest. The program garnered more than 6 million
online and text message votes.
Her winning entry has quite a few grammar, spelling and "prety" dumb mistakes. Here's the entry with misspelled words in bold.
I never really wanted a Quinceanera because I knew my parents coudnt
aford it.I didn't want to think about my dream party when i knew it was
never going to happen
I didn't want to get my hopes up for no reason.
We don't have alot of money because my parents are still paying their
morgage and now that my dad's cholesteral is too high we must buy new
foods that cost a little more then the usual so thats less money we
have.
I'm prety bright and understand alot.I'm not the smartes girl in school
or the dumest.I came to U.S.A when I was 7 now I speak fluent english
and spanish and have a 3.1 in school.
Winning this grand prize would
make me the happiest girl because I always hear about parties my
friends are having and can't talk about my own because i won't have
one. I would like to have my own big party that I've always dreamed
about.If I don't win the grand prize I won't have a big quinceanera or
a quinceanera at all probably not even a party.Now that i have applied
for this contest I will be praying every day and hoping and wishing and
dreaming that i can have my big Quinceanera.
Comment from Wireless Mobile News:
Our crack copy editor notes Athaly does need a spelling teacher, which may not help pay the "morgage". She's probaby "prety" bright and she isn't the "smartes" girl in school, but she does know how to win a party!
Maybe Verizon should offer a contest for excellent writing, with great grammar. The prize could be a job at Wireless and Mobile News!.
This is cruel.
My sister teaches latino students and they have a lot of problems with spelling. They will probably always have trouble, as they did not start learning English until the 4th grade.
This girl learned English at age 7. She is probably an ESL student (English as a Second Language) and also claims to be from a very poor family. I think they chose her essay because her family is poor, not because of her spelling.
Also, I don't think Verizon chose her entry, but rather the public. If grammar is an issue for them, they should weed out the finalists.
We do not intend to be cruel. Although many English teachers appear to be very cruel.
There are many people who are poor when they come to the United States and learn how to write correctly by the time they are in high school.
Spelling is something that can be learned.
It's a sad state of affairs when someone wins a party just because she is poor.