Student seeks help to 'dominate' competition

Date: 3/23/2010

March 24, 2010.

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



AGAWAM -- Jessica Cronin is in it to win it and thanks to those in the Valley and beyond she's one step closer to achieving her goal.

Cronin, an aspiring graphic designer and junior at Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, has become a finalist in Zinch.com's nationwide Sweet Diggity Dawg $20,000 college scholarship competition. However, her work is far from over: she must continue to garner votes on www.zinch.com/Voting/ViewMatchUp.aspx?gid=108 to make it to the next round.

"My family and friends have noticed that I will not leave my computer," Cronin told Reminder Publications. "I have been making promotional videos and sending as many mass e-mails as possible. I know this is extremely stressful ... but I continue to push myself.

"When I see my [voting] percentage fall, I send more e-mails and think of more creative ways to get more votes," she continued. "This competition is very stressful so I try to walk away from it for periods of time. If I watch it, it doesn't grow; but, whenever I come back to it, it seems like everyone knows about it!"

Cronin is paired in the first round of 64 against Salman Khan of Ozone Park, N.Y., in the West bracket. She is currently leading with 54 percent of the vote.

If Cronin receives the majority vote, she'll advance to the second round of voting, which takes place from March 23 to 25.

She made it in as one of the final 64 due to her efforts promoting her cause via Facebook and other social media outlets.

"I was surprised that I got over 2,000 [Facebook fans] in only a few days. I had my doubts, though, about the Cinderella 6 competition. I wasn't chosen by the amount of fans I had [on Facebook] but by my skills and motivation to continue," Cronin explained. "I was noticed by [Zinch.com's Director of Marketing and Student Finance] David Blake who then saw that I tagged him in a photo of the first [Reminder] newspaper article.

"He then featured me on his Web page. I wasn't aware of that until one afternoon I was browsing and came across it," she continued. "I've been finding myself all over the Internet, which is good news! Everyone is spreading the word!"

When asked how the competition has influenced her work, Cronin replied, "This competition is helping me to find out who I am. I have never actually realized how self-motivated I am, until teachers and locals mentioned so. I have been working with my artwork, but just Zinch-related. It is my main focus."

Cronin said if she doesn't make it into the next round, she will be "disappointed;" however, she feels that she's already "won something."

"The last article really helped me out a lot!" she explained. "I got a job working for Kodak after showing them the article and some examples of my artwork. It garnered many fans, and spread the word."

To view Cronin's Zinch.com profile, visit www.zinch.com/Voting/ViewMatchUp.aspx?gid=108. To vote for her, create a Zinch.com profile in 30 seconds or less and click the vote icon under her name.