Verizon's My Fabulous Quince To Fulfill The Dreams Of One Teen With The Most Unforgettable Quinceañera

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Recognizing that a quinceañera symbolizes one of the most important coming-of-age traditions for Latino teens and their families, Verizon is again offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate this memorable moment with an all-expenses-paid party and college scholarship through its My Fabulous Quince essay contest.  From June 1 through July 31, teens from eight participating cities and the surrounding areas will have the chance to enter to win the Quince of their dreams by submitting an essay online or at Verizon’s My Fabulous Quince expos.  Participating cities include: Chicago; New York; Miami; Dallas; Houston; El Paso, Texas; Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“At Verizon, we recognize the challenges some families experience when they want to celebrate this special tradition with their teen,” said Elva Lima, executive director of community relations and multicultural communications at Verizon Wireless.  “With this in mind, we are very excited to announce once again the My Fabulous Quince essay contest, offering teens and their families the most unforgettable quinceañera and at the same time, supporting higher education through college scholarships.”

Contest Entry, Selection Process and Prizes

From June 1 to July 31, teens turning 15 in 2012 can participate in My Fabulous Quince by answering each of the following questions in 100 to 500 words:

• What does a Quince mean to you?
• What are you planning to accomplish after high school?
• How would you use technology to make all of your Quince dreams come true?

Teens can submit their essays online at www.myfabulousquince.com or at Verizon’s My Fabulous Quince expos.

Following the entry phase, a voting panel of judges will select 20 finalists in each market based on the most compelling essays.  The finalists will be featured on the My Fabulous Quince website, and the public will be able to vote online or text in their vote for their favorite finalist from Aug. 24 through Sept. 2, 2012.

The finalist with the highest number of votes will win the grand prize, which includes a college scholarship, four smartphones and Verizon gift cards.  The grand-prize winner will also receive an all-expenses-paid Quince for up to 100 guests, featuring a special performance by one of the most acclaimed award-winning Latin urban artist of all time, Daddy Yankee.  Daddy Yankee will perform songs from his most recent album, Prestige, as well as some of his greatest hits, including “Lovumba,” among others.

“Being part of My Fabulous Quince this year will help me provide an unforgettable musical experience for one of my fans,” said Daddy Yankee.  “I enjoy celebrating our Latino traditions, and I look forward to singing at the winner’s Quince and sharing this special moment with their family and friends.”

In addition to the grand prize, four first-prize packages will be awarded to the top vote recipients in the following four regions: Midwest, Northeast, South and West.  Each first-prize winner will receive a college scholarship, a smartphone and a Verizon gift card. 

Quince Expos and Daddy Yankee Meet & Greets

Teens and their families around the country will also have the chance to enjoy meet-and-greet sessions with Daddy Yankee at the My Fabulous Quince expos at select Verizon Wireless stores, which will take place in the following cities:

DATE           CITY
June 13         Chicago
June 16         Secaucus, N.J.
June 23         Hialeah, Fla.
June 30         Irving, Texas
July 1           Houston
July 7           El Paso, Texas
July 21         Chino, Calif. (San Bernardino County)
July 22         San Francisco

As part of the expos, attendees will receive exclusive offers from local vendors and useful tips on how to plan an unforgettable Quinceañera.  In addition, individuals who bring no-longer used wireless phones to donate to HopeLine from Verizon will receive a VIP pass that gives them exclusive access to a meet-and-greet session with Daddy Yankee.

Verizon customers who are Daddy Yankee fans will be able to get an exclusive song from the artist at no additional charge on the Verizon Wireless Facebook page or at My Fabulous Quince expos. Data rates may apply when downloading the song.

For more information about Verizon’s My Fabulous Quince, including contest rules, eligibility and Quince expos, please visit http://www.myfabulousquince.com. 

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

####