- Seven North Central Florida high schools won $5,000 each in T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights contest for football and facility upgrades.
- Public voting for the contest runs Oct. 8-25, with the grand prize winner announced Nov. 12, 2026, after final voting Oct. 29-Nov. 8.
Seven area high schools have been selected as Florida winners in T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights competition, a national contest that gives eligible small-town high schools an opportunity to win funding for football field and facility upgrades.
According to a T-Mobile release, each school has received a $5,000 prize through the contest and will have an opportunity to advance for additional awards, including regional finalist prizes and a grand prize that includes a $1 million stadium transformation.
The North Central Florida-area winners are:
- Bradford, Starke
- Columbia, Lake City
- Cornerstone Academy, Gainesville
- Buchholz, Gainesville
- Saint Francis Catholic Academy, Gainesville
- Santa Fe, Alachua
- Williston
The Friday Night 5G Lights competition celebrates school spirit, community pride and the Friday night traditions that bring students, families, alumni and neighbors together. Facility improvements could benefit more than football programs, potentially supporting marching bands, cheer teams, students and the broader school community.
So far this season, 31 Florida schools have been recognized through the competition, receiving a combined $155,000 in prizes.
The Florida winners are:
- Bartow High School, Bartow
- Belleview High School, Belleview
- Booker T. Washington High School, Pensacola
- Bradford High School, Starke
- Columbia High School, Lake City
- Cornerstone Academy, Gainesville
- Crystal River High School, Crystal River
- Dunnellon High School, Dunnellon
- Escambia High School, Pensacola
- Eustis High School, Eustis
- F.W. Buchholz High School, Gainesville
- Gulf Breeze High School, Gulf Breeze
- Hilliard Middle-Senior High School, Hilliard
- Interlachen Junior Senior High School, Interlachen
- Lake Placid High School, Lake Placid
- Lake Region High School, Eagle Lake
- Lake Wales High School, Lake Wales
- Leesburg High School, Leesburg
- Mosley High School, Lynn Haven
- North Bay Haven Charter Academy, Panama City
- Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee
- Real Life Christian Academy, Clermont
- Robert F. Munroe Day School, Havana
- Saint Francis Catholic Academy, Gainesville
- Santa Fe High School, Alachua
- South Sumter High School, Bushnell
- Spruce Creek High School, Port Orange
- Taylor County High School, Perry
- Umatilla High School, Umatilla
- Williston Middle High School, Williston
- Yulee High School, Yulee
Key dates
Public voting: Oct. 8-25. Voters can cast one vote per day at FridayNight5GLights.com.
Final four voting: Oct. 29-Nov. 8.
Grand prize winner announced: Nov. 12, 2026.