Ripley Students are Grand Prize Winners in Contest for Prom Decorations

Ripley Central School was one of three Grand Prize winners in the Stumps, Proms Across America contest. Stumps, a major supplier of event decorations and supplies, sponsors an annual contest where schools can win gift certificates toward decorations for their proms. In a David and Goliath competition, Ripley students managed to come in second in the entire United States, winning $5,000 toward prom decorations, $1,000 for a D.J. and all the prom accessories such as crowns, tiaras and sashes.

The contest is aimed at showing school and community spirit by sending emails to the contest site. The three schools that sent the most emails were awarded the Grand Prize. This year’s top three contest winners were Alief Taylor High School, Houston, Texas; Ripley Central School, Ripley, New York; and Dearborn High School, Dearborn, Michigan. Going up against schools with over 10,000 students in their districts, the high school student body of Ripley, with just under 110 students, faculty, parents and friends managed to send over 187,000 entry emails in the Stumps Proms Across America contest. “We held voting parties where kids would come in and sit at the computers to send emails,” said Bert Fisher, class advisor. “We told the sixth, seventh and eighth graders that if they helped up we’d throw them a Spring Fling of their own,” she continued. “We even had second graders helping us.”

A gift certificate in the amount of $5,000 has already been awarded and spent in Ripley. “We bought a large fountain, archway and lighted gate, as well as other supplies,” commented Ms. Fisher. “A lot of these things can be used over and over. We’re pretty excited!”

A representative from Stumps will be at this year’s prom to do a follow up story for their magazine and web site. To see a complete list of winners, go to www.stumpsparty.com and click on the Proms Across America link.