Carbon High School advances in national competition for $1 million stadium upgrade

PRICE — Students and staff at Carbon High School are rallying support as the school advances in a nationwide competition that could bring a $1 million upgrade to its aging athletic facilities.

The school is one of 40 schools still competing in T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights contest, which awards a grand prize of $1 million for a home field makeover. Carbon High is the only Utah school remaining in the competition.

Students say improvements to the football stadium are long overdue.

"It's a little lopsided, but it's still fun," senior football player Tayger Timothy said of the field. "We run sidelines for conditioning; it's uphill and downhill."

Principal Jarad Hardy said the facility has not undergone major improvements since the early 2000s and has been impacted by years of drought, flooding and regular use.

"It's just been through the ringer," Hardy said.

Cheerleader and student body president Hadlee Carlson said spectators also feel the effects of the aging facility.

"My grandparents that come and support me, they have a really hard time sitting in the bleachers because they're so small and they're really old," Carlson said.

Carlson said students have worked hard to generate support for the competition.

"We've really spread the word and made sure we actually have people vote," she said.

More than 2,500 schools nationwide applied for the contest. Hardy said Carbon has participated in previous years but has never advanced this far. The school has already secured $25,000 as a division finalist. T-Mobile celebrated the school with a home game celebration Thursday.

Hardy said they're using the money to replace the 30-year-old scoreboard.

Hardy said a grand prize victory would allow the school to renovate the field, replace the bleachers and install a new sound system.

"We work hard for what we get," Hardy said. "We don't have some of the money that they have along the Wasatch Front, but we do the best we can with what we have."

For many students, the project extends beyond their time at the school.

"I am planning on staying in Carbon County and raising a family here," Timothy said. "If we did get the money, it would benefit my kids that I have here and they'd be able to play on the field that I played on, but better."

He and Carlson said the field is used by many in the community. They grew up playing Little League sports on the field. They said the facility is also used by the middle school.

"Carbon County is a blue-collar, hardworking community," Hardy said. "It's been pretty awesome to get to this point and see our kids and our community really come together with it."

T-Mobile representative Mikail Odludas said 40 schools remain in the competition. Public voting remains open through Oct. 25, with participants allowed to vote once per day.

The contest will narrow to four finalists before the grand prize winner is announced Nov. 12. Social media engagement will also count toward the final tally. Supporters can help Carbon High School by posting on social media, tagging the school and @TMobile, and using #FN5GL and #Entry.

"We've done [the competition] for three years, and Carbon has engaged with it every single year, so it's fantastic to see them, at this stage with the 25,000, but we want them to move on further," Odludas said.

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