:( Naperville texter falls short of title
OMG, Megan Rach is, like, such a great txtr, err, texter.
The 14-year-old Naperville girl was in New York City on Wednesday night as part of the National Texting Championship.
At stake: $50,000 and bragging rights among not only her fellow Neuqua Valley High School classmates, but grammar-challenged teens everywhere as a certified cell phone texting champ.
Megan texted her heart out, but was eliminated early in the contest.
"I had fun so maybe I'll enter again next year!" Megan said via text message, naturally.
Just getting to the championship didn't come without some much-needed practice - she's been texting friends up to 500 times a day for the last week - and lots of dexterity in the thumbs.
"I might as well get into the spirit of it," said Megan, who already owns her third cell phone, all since seventh grade.
When she wasn't practicing or taking in the sights of New York, Megan was basking in her newfound fame. She's been interviewed by a host of newspapers, radio and television stations.
"At first we didn't even know what this competition was all about," said Joanne, Megan's mom. "The whole thing is kind of funny."
No kidding.
In fact, Megan almost didn't get a chance to qualify. The regional competition was held at a Chicago cellular phone store on Father's Day, and Megan's parents let her try out only after a lengthy deliberation.
"When we found out there were only four people in that round, we thought 'oh well, why not,'" Joanne Rach said.
To win the top prize, though, Megan needed to beat last year's reigning text champion, Morgan Pozgar, who won by accurately typing a 21-word catchphrase from the movie "Mary Poppins" in 42 seconds.
In the end, a 20-year-old Ohio man took the top prize.
While mom was be the only one in attendance at Wednesday's competition, dozens of friends and family were awaiting word of her performance back home in Naperville.
By text message, of course.
"Well, her grandparents will probably just receive a regular old phone call," Joanne Rach said. "They're not up to speed on this new communication."