New Jersey Herald

Kittatinny receives $5K from T-Mobile contest as NJ schools vie for top prize

By Lori Comstock, Newton New Jersey Herald,

5 hours ago

For over a decade, fall athletes at Kittatinny Regional High School have had the unique opportunity to play a game under the glow of LED lights, a week that draws the rural community together.

The brainchild of the Kittatinny Cougar Athletic Association , the "Week of Lights," is a once-a-year chance for athletes to experience competition after the sun has set, and is particularly special for athletes since the Sussex County school, hit with a nearly 8% loss in state aid for the 2024-25 school year , does not have permanent lighting.

Insert: New England Patriots tight end and four-time Super Bowl champion Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski.

Gronkowski has partnered with T-Mobile to launch Friday Night 5G Lights , a competition open to thousands of small towns across the country that are deserving of a football field makeover — and Kittatinny, like several other New Jersey schools, is in the running for the $2 million grand prize to upgrade their facilities.

Kittatinny is the only New Jersey school enrolled that has already scored $5,000 after posting early and often to their social media accounts . Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 20, T-Mobile randomly selects 50 schools each Friday — totaling 300 — to receive extra cash for new equipment, sports gear or transportation expenses.

Todd Van Orden, Kittatinny's athletic director and supervisor of the math department who is retiring effective Aug. 31, said the money will be put to good use, noting it would be "tremendous" for the school to be given even more should they be chosen for larger prizes.

"I'm sorry that I am not there as this contest progresses, it should be a great fall season," he added.

Entries will remain open until Sept. 20.

What schools are eligible and how do we enter the Friday Night 5G Lights contest?

High schools in towns with a population of 150,000 or less can apply for the high school football field makeover. There are a handful of municipalities in New Jersey that wouldn't qualify, such as Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, and Lakewood, which has seen a population growth over the years .

A school faculty member can fill out the application online , which includes questions such as why the school would benefit from a makeover and requires photos of the school's football field.

How does the Friday Night 5G Lights contest work?

Schools will be randomly selected each Friday for a cool $5,000 cash through Sept. 20, but the larger prizes have yet to be rewarded.

On Oct. 10, a "T-Mobile panel of judges" will announce the top 16 school finalists based on the compelling stories submitted as to why a tech upgrade is needed as well as their impact on social media. Each school will win $25,000 and move on to compete for the grand prize.

Schools are urged to encouraged to share their school spirit on Instagram by doing the following :

Set your Instagram profile to public
Create an Instagram post that includes #FN5GL and #Sweepstakes
Tag @TMobile and your school’s official Instagram handle
Post early and often to increase your school's chances of winning!

The top 16 finalists will also receive help from T-Mobile to host a celebration at a home game.

The final competition heats up on Oct. 10 when each of the top 16 finalists will be asked to submit a 90-second "hype" video to show their school spirit. The school that garners the most likes will be crowned the winner in early December, and will score the following, worth $2 million:

$100,000 high school grant
Upgraded weight room from GronkFitness.com
New teched-out scoreboard
Consultation with football field experience experts to get pro tips to elevate the game
5G network upgrades package to unlock player potential and performance
Epic tailgate party celebration with live music and 5G-powered halftime drone show

What NJ schools are already in the running?

Well over 1,000 schools across the nation have applied, with some in New Jersey. Here is a list of those who are vying for a makeover, along with their social media links.

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com ; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook .

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Kittatinny receives $5K from T-Mobile contest as NJ schools vie for top prize

Kittatinny receives $5K from T-Mobile contest as NJ schools vie for top prize

What schools are eligible and how do we enter the Friday Night 5G Lights contest?

How does the Friday Night 5G Lights contest work?

What NJ schools are already in the running?

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