With only 35 students and just a budget of $300, the senior class of Downieville High School struggled to have a real, memorable prom.

When StumpsParty.com sponsored a “Proms Across America” contest that would award $1,000 to one high school in each of the 50 states, Randi McCreary was inspired to enter her high school as a candidate.

Although McCreary felt it was a long shot, the school banded together and voted for weeks, eventually surpassing their closest competitor by 35,000 votes.

By winning the competition, the class no longer had to hold prom in a classroom or in the cafeteria and use an iPod for music.  Instead, with a bigger budget, the class was able to rent a dance hall in a nearby city to accommodate more students and also hire a professional DJ.

Downieville High’s small town victory went a long way in making a big impact.