MEMPHIS, July 15 (UPI) -- A Memphis fifth-grader says she appealed to the bottom line in her letter convincing Hewlett-Packard to donate $72,000 worth of computer gear to her school.
Kristina White, 11, used an assignment in persuasive writing to urge HP to use the donation as a means of generating some good will among the public that would translate to increased sales.
"I told him that if everybody heard what he had done for our community, he would get more sales," Kristina told the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The two-page letter sent to Executive Vice President Todd Bradley did the trick. The newspaper said Wednesday that 67 HP computers were on their way to the writing lab at Sherwood Elementary School, and the company was also planning to pick up the tab for installation, wiring and staff training.
Kristina's teachers have been singing her praises over her accomplishment; however, there is a slight twist in that she is moving on to middle school next fall and won't have a chance to use the new computers herself.
