Prep football: 3 area schools in running for $1 field improvements

Fort Madison, Wapello and WACO high schools recently received $5,000 each in funding and are in the running for a football field transformation valued at $ million. The schools were randomly selected as a $5K Fridays sweepstakes winner through T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights, a national competition celebrating small-town football and community pride. 13 Iowa high schools (listed below) have received $5,000, bringing the total to $65,000 across the state. All schools are in the running for the grand prize. This year, more than $8.4 million is up for grabs, including $25,000 for 40 finalists, $250,000 for four division champions and $1 million toward a football field transformation for one grand prize winner, announced Nov. 12. Fort Madison High School Activities Director Jeff Lamb applied with hopes to modernize a decades-old football facility with improvements needed to the field, bleachers, press box, restrooms, track, concessions, fencing, accessibility and overall infrastructure. These upgrades would create a safer, more welcoming and more functional space for athletes, band members, students, families and community members who gather there to celebrate school and town pride. Wapello High School Activities Director Brandon Brown applied with hopes to take its football facility to the next level with upgrades such as turf for year-round football and soccer use, a new press box, improved visitor locker rooms, concrete pathways for better accessibility, storage improvements and a modern digital scoreboard. These improvements would create a more polished, functional and welcoming community space that reflects the pride of the school while expanding opportunities for students, families and local partners. So far, 72 Iowa high schools have applied, but there's still time for more area schools to join the competition. Eligible schools in communities with populations under 150,000 can apply at FridayNight5GLights.com through Sept. 18. Weekly $5K Fridays sweepstakes winners will continue to be announced through the end of September, and as the competition moves forward, communities will have opportunities to rally behind their schools and vote.