Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Verizon Wireless is awarding $20,000 to Rich East High School in Park Forest, Illinois, which recently gained the most votes in a text-to-win contest.Students also will enjoy a visit from Chicago Bears starting cornerback Tim Jennings, who will appear at a school pep rally on Mon., December 12, at 1:30 pm, to present the check to the high school and deliver congratulations on behalf of Verizon.
Through the Verizon Wireless TXT2WIN contest, students, parents, teachers and fans from select high schools were invited to send a text message to vote for their school. Rich East High School gained more than 36,000 votes in the competition against 11 other high schools in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio, including Rich Central High School and Rich South High School. All the participating schools received a $1,000 donation for participating in the contest.
“This is a great example of what can be achieved when we come together,” said Dr. Donna Simpson Leak, Superintendent of Rich Township High School District 227. “Our students are incredible and they truly deserve the support they received through this contest.”
“The Verizon text to win program was one that brought our entire community together,” said Mike Laneve, athletic director at Rich East. “We brought the staff in for a meeting after school and explained how important it is that in these economic times, with budgets being cut and unemployment on the rise, that we needed to do everything we could to win $20,000 for our school. Our community is excited to have accomplished this financial goal that Verizon has provided, but we’re also excited to have had the opportunity to work together as a school, family, and community. This event has set the stage for a great year, and we will continue to build on it both inside and outside the classroom.”
“Verizon Wireless is proud to be able to give back to the community and support today’s youth,” said Phil Cole, retail store manager, Verizon Wireless, Matteson, Ill. “Rich East did an exceptional job at bringing parents, teachers and students together as well as engaging the local business community to gain as many votes as possible. Their efforts have paid off –and not only did they gain $20,000 to support their programs, but students also get to enjoy a visit by Tim Jennings of the Chicago Bears.”
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 107.7 million total wireless connections, including 90.7 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with nearly 83,000 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.
