North Stanly enters T-Mobile 5G Lights contest

Published 2:02 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2025

NEW LONDON — North Stanly High School’s football program has announced its entry into T‑Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights contest for the upcoming 2025 season.

With over $4 million in total prizes awarded, the national competition is designed to highlight high school football throughout the country by rewarding schools with funding and facility upgrades.

The Comets have now joined hundreds of hopeful high schools who are all vying for prizes that range from $5,000 weekly sweepstakes grants to a $1 million football field transformation package.

“We entered the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights contest,” North Stanly’s athletic department revealed on Monday afternoon. “They’re celebrating small-town high school football, giving upgrades to schools and awarding a $1 million game-changing grand prize.”

According to contest guidelines, all U.S. high schools located in towns with populations under 150,000 are eligible to apply now through Sept. 12; all entries must be submitted by an authorized school representative like a principal, athletic director, coach or teacher.

T-Mobile’s “nationwide movement to fuel school pride, performance and possibility” initiative debuted in 2024, with nearly 1,750 high schools nationwide participating from all 50 states.

“Last year, we saw what happens when small towns get the spotlight they deserve, and the response blew us away,” said Jon Freier, president of T-Mobile‘s Consumer Group. “So this year, we’re turning it up. With T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights, we’re backing schools and programs that build leadership, confidence and connection — and showing up for the communities that always show up for their kids.”

For this coming season, 450 schools will win $5,000 on $5K Fridays in the weekly draw, beginning with 100 schools in Week 1; 50 winners will then be named each week for the remaining seven weeks.

After the initial contest, 25 finalists — named by a judging panel based on storytelling, community impact and school spirit — will each win $25,000 to upgrade their programs.

From there, the 25-school public voting process will begin on Sept. 25 and run through Oct. 24 as one school will be crowned the grand prize winner on Oct. 30, receiving a $1 million football field makeover, a new weight room from Gronk Fitness and an all-expenses-paid trip for up to 16 school representatives to the SEC Championship Game.