10/19/2026
🏈🖤💛 SOME SCHOOLS ARE FIGHTING FOR BETTER FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. WE'RE FIGHTING TO HAVE THEM AT ALL.
I've spent some time reading through the stories of the other schools competing in T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights competition, and honestly... it's been eye-opening.
Some schools are asking for upgraded stadium lighting. Others want improved seating, renovated concessions, better sound systems, expanded team spaces, or newer technology.
And listen, I'm not saying those schools don't deserve improvements. They absolutely do. Every student-athlete deserves a safe, quality place to play.
But I want to tell you about a little school in Sussex County, New Jersey, and why this competition means SO much to us.
Sussex County Technical School doesn't even have stadium lights.
Not outdated lights.
Not lights that occasionally malfunction.
NO LIGHTS. AT ALL.
That means our football team cannot host regular Friday night games on its own home field.
Think about everything that comes with Friday night football.
The excitement of walking into school on game day. Students making plans to fill the stands. Families showing up after work. Alumni returning to cheer for the next generation. The band, the crowd, the energy, and that feeling of an entire community coming together under the lights.
For so many schools across this country, that's just Friday night.
For Sussex Tech, it's something we've had to go out of our way to make possible.
In fact, our school actually RENTED temporary stadium lights for ONE NIGHT so our players and families could experience a Friday night home game.
ONE. NIGHT.
We had to bring in lights just to give these kids an experience that so many other high school football programs have every season.
And it's not just the lighting.
Our boys are playing on an uneven dirt field. Our goalposts are outdated. Our scoreboard needs work. Our facilities need serious attention.
We're not talking about adding luxury features to a beautiful stadium.
We're talking about improving the basics and giving these kids the opportunity to play on a home field they can be proud of.
And here's something else I want people to understand.
Sussex Tech isn't just a neighborhood high school serving one town. It's a countywide technical school bringing together students from communities throughout Sussex County.
These kids come from different towns, different backgrounds, and different school experiences, but when they put on that Mustangs uniform, they're ONE TEAM.
And they deserve the same opportunity to build memories and traditions that so many other high school athletes already have.
I'm a mom of one of those players. I see how much these boys put into this sport. The practices, the hard work, the injuries, the commitment, and the pride they take in representing their school.
They don't complain about not having some big, beautiful stadium.
They show up. They work hard. They play football.
But just because these kids have learned to make do with what they have doesn't mean that's all they should ever have.
We made Friday Night Lights happen once by renting the lights.
Now we're fighting to make it a tradition.
That's why we're asking for your help.
Not just from New Jersey.
From ANYWHERE.
If you're a football fan, a parent, a former student-athlete, or someone who remembers what Friday nights meant to your hometown, I hope you'll take a moment to think about what it would mean to give that experience to a school that's been going without it.
We're not asking you to believe that other schools don't deserve better facilities.
We're asking you to recognize what a difference this opportunity could make for ours.
Some schools are fighting to improve their Friday night traditions.
SUSSEX TECH IS FIGHTING TO BUILD OURS. 🖤💛
Please help us bring permanent Friday Night Lights to Sussex County Technical School.
🗳️ VOTE FOR THE SUSSEX TECH MUSTANGS:
https://fn5gl.t-mobile.com/vote/sussex-county-technical-school
Voting is FREE, takes about 60 seconds, and you can vote once every day through October 25th!
And please SHARE this, even if you live no where near New Jersey. You never know who might see it and decide that these kids deserve a chance.
We rented the lights for one night. Help us make Friday Night Lights a reality for generations of Mustangs to come. 🖤💛
We entered the Friday Night 5G Lights contest! They're celebrating small-town high school football, giving upgrades to schools + awarding a $1Million game-changing grand prize. It could be us! Learn more: https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/friday-night-5g-lights
