Here was my entry:
Hi Wayne,
My name is Teddy L------. I am fourteen and a freshman at high school, where I participate in the magic club. Magic has always been important to me. Ever since I was little, I have had magic kits and tricks. I have always loved performing. Unfortunately, I stopped doing magic for a while. About two years ago, I started up again, this time taking it seriously. I especially like close up magic (cards, coins, spongeballs, etc.), and I do a little mentalism, but mostly it is with cards. I started performing for birthday parties last year and I started making business cards and flyers. I hope I continue practicing magic for a long time. I think it's great that you are having this giveaway. I really appreciate it.
Now it's time to flatter you. You and Daniel Garcia are actually my two favorite magicians, especially when you work together. I loved the excerpts from your videos I've seen, especially Control and Ultragaff. Being a teenager with a relatively strict mother, I cannot buy all of your videos, or many other magic videos I am interested in. Things I do have include Thread, Stigmata, the Daniel Garcia Projects, Digital Dissolve (I love "the name" part), and Mark Wilson's Encyclopedia of Magic.
My mom works at the Valerie Fund, an organization here in New Jersey that helps children with cancer and blood disorders. Every year they have a couple Christmas parties for the kids who are in treatment or have been treated and their families. I started volunteering to perform at these parties last year, and I am practicing for the one on Monday. Last year, I went to the party with my spongeballs, my Invisible deck, my trusty deck of Bikes, my Svengali deck, some coins, etc. I was really nervous. I get nervous whenever I'm about to perform. But since I love magic so much I go through with it, and after 10 minutes I'm in the zone. I did it, and I had a lot of fun. I also did it this year with my friend. We did mostly the same effects, but we also loaded a few forced cards into some people's rolls. It was great. Looking back, I must have seemed like a little kid who thought he was David Blaine (or Wayne Houchin). But I'm proud of myself, and I look forward to doing it again.
Thanks so much for reading!
-Teddy L-----