Extrude a poly?

I'm new to MAXScript but not new to coding in general. I've been trying to make a simple code that generates a counter, which counts up from whatever number to.. whatever number. I found and edited a simple code somewhere that does it, which is here:

(
textGrp = point()
for i=0 to 151 do
(
theText = text()
theText.parent = textGrp
theText.wireColor = [0,0,0]
theText.scale = [0,0,0]
if i < 10 then theText.text = "00" + (i as string) else
if i < 100 then theText.text = "0" + (i as string) else
theText.text = i as string
convertto theText editable_poly

animate on
(
at time (sliderTime+i) theText.scale = [1,1,1]
at time ((sliderTime+i) + 1) theText.scale = [0,0,0]
at time ((sliderTime+i) - 1) theText.scale = [0,0,0]
)
)
)

However, after running the code everything comes up in "2D", which is understandable since I'm converting a spline to an editible poly. I've had to teach myself 3DS, and right now I'm stuck as how to extrude, or somehow make the poly "3D".

I'm sure there is a simple answer but I just cannot figure it out.

Thanks,
Ben.