LANCASTER – Fifteen-year-old Lancaster resident Shany Monroy says being the subject of a popular YouTube docu-series is cause for her to celebrate the positive decisions of her life.
The reality show, “My Dream Quinceañera,” produced by AwesomenessTV and streamed on its YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AwesomenessTV, features young Latinas preparing for their coming-of-age celebration.
![Shany Monroy [contributed]](https://www.theavtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Shany-Monroy.jpg)
Cameras follow the teens as they plan their dream quinceañera, shopping for the perfect dress, planning an exciting fiesta, and choosing their Court of Honor.
The experience has been mind-blowing for Shany, she admits, “like crazy how everyone notices me now.” The show has also brought her closer to her family, she says.
“My mom and dad have been on top of watching all the comments on the channel,” she said. “Most are positive, and then there [are] the bad comments; but some people, especially my family, have been backing me up and standing up for me.”
The support she receives from her loved ones – both behind the scenes and online – is very important to Shany at this time in her life.
Originally from Arkansas, Shany recently moved with her family to Lancaster and found herself in a new social setting.
“After starting at my freshman year in high school, I was really excited about attending my new school, and I didn’t think anything would stop me,” she said. “But then you run into some kids who put pressure on you to do drugs, and I really thought I was alone.”
After experiencing a period of depression, Shany eventually opened up to her mother and cousin for support, and they helped her get through the tough times. However, it was not until Shany began to work with others in the online docu-series that she experienced a “sort of coming out party” that helped her celebrate the positive decisions she made – while learning that she was not alone.
“I learned that lots of girls my age are going through what I went through,” she said. “And I want to really open up to them and help them get past it. For me, it’s believing in God that got me through it.”
With all the recent attention, Shany said that her goal is to become a singer and an actress – and to go to college. And though she doesn’t know if the online show has really made her a celebrity, she knows that she is happy.
“I’m so happy this happened to me. I thought it would take a long time for me to get here.”
The fourth season of “My Dream Quinceañera” premiered August 13 on AwesomenessTV and its fourth episode featuring Shany airs today [Sept. 3] on the production company’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/AwesomenessTV. View Shany’s debut episode above.
With nearly 3 million subscribers through its YouTube channel, AwesomenessTV’s core demographic is teens. The Los Angeles-based digital media company is majority-owned by DreamWorks Animation, and it airs daily shows on its YouTube channel, Nickelodeon and DHX TV in Canada.
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Natalie says
I would like to know who did her makeup
Carlos says
Wow como ay personas ignorantes q piensan q educar un hijo es mandarlo a la escuela no educar un hijo es llevarlo a la escuela estar pendiente dónde está con quien está enseñarle . Buenos principios morales y espirituales a respetar tendras Buenos hijos/denada te sirve si lo llevas de la mano a la escuela y cuando llega a casa sale para dónde se le pega gana. regresa a casa si quiere si no un sleepover .con el anigo/amiga..fumando y tomando.endrogandose.ese tipo de niños son los se burlan de buenos niñas/niños como shany por padres ignonantes..la cansion de franco de vita .no vasta.les da por la cara alos ignorantes.
WOW says
@Carlos, estoy completamente de acuerdo, pero si no es posible educar a los padres, es mucho más difícil educar a sus hijos. Los padres de hoy (la mayoría) piensan que es la responsabilidad de nosotros los que estamos en educación y eso es completamente erróneo. Mi opinión, sea válida o no, es que mientras no vayamos más allá de un diploma de preparatoria, jamás seremos escuchados. Si tuviera más tiempo contaría unas historias de casos imposibles de creer que yo misma eh atestiguado. Muchos padres están completamente ciegos, y asi estén en video sus angelitos haciendo drogas o teniendo relaciones, la respuesta es “hay no, esa/ese no es mi hija/hijo”. ¡Que lastima por nuestra juventud!
Ana says
Is a tradition !!!!!! Don’t be so Ignorant, who ever wrote the first comment. I love the show the main focus for me is how this girl over come the bullying from those ignorant kids. Those kids and parents need to educated them selfs about how harmful could be to bully a person. Beautiful girl, Congrats on your show
WOW says
@Ana, I am no ignorant, I CAN assure you it is the contrary, I simply quoted the young ladie’s words. I understand the concept of bullying, etc., but education and not what she commented should come first. Do you know the teen pregnancy rates for Latinas? Do you work in education and know our education statistics? Probably not, do yourself a favor and research data before calling me ignorant. Por eso estamos como estamos- JODER!!!
WOW says
@Ana:
If you are going to call me ignorant, you better have some data to back-up your words. By the way, wouldn’t calling someone “Ignorant” constitute to cyber-bullying? I simply quoted what the young girl said, and stated my opinion, as I work in education and I have the statistics to back-up my written statement. In relation, you don’t need to capitalize “Ignorant” or “Congrats”, also, various exclamation marks are not necessary.
Have a nice day!
Latino teen pregnancy rate is 38% per every 1,000 girls
Drop-out rate is 11.7%, highest in the country
Only 4 % are undergraduates at a university (not community college, I hope you know the difference)
5.9 % complete a 2- year degree (Associates)
2.8 % complete a 4- year degree (Bachelors)
2 % graduate with all the necessary requirements from a 4- year university (you know, the ones that require a-g)
**AV TIMES, PLEASE POST MY COMMENT**
Danny says
Good job
jack hallaway says
Very true
Carlos says
Having a quinceañera it’s a tradition wearing a make up yes .but having a boyfriend no way..education come first depends on the parents haw they grow their kids we have another girl 23 years old she not even have a boyfriend I don’t tell her not to but she is being educated. By mom and me
WOW says
“It’s the time in a young Latina’s life when you can now wear makeup, wear high heels and have a boyfriend, too.” Really? I am teaching my Latina daughter to educate herself now and worry about boyfriends, makeup and high heels later. This is what happens when teens get taught the wrong values. Wake up parents, this is a silly tradition, focus more on educating our youth above a high school diploma or GED.