Fort Defiance High School in Augusta County was among 10 high schools in Virginia to win $5,000 through T–Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights program — money that the school’s athletics department can use for needs such as new helmets, weight room equipment, uniforms and travel costs.
Each of the weekly winners is also entered into the running for a $1 million field upgrade through the T-Mobile program, which supports high school football in smaller communities across the country.
This year, the program will award more than $8.4 million in total prizes.
In addition to the $5,000, schools will also have a chance at other prizes, including 40 regional finalists who will win $25,000 each, four division champions who will win $250,000 each, and one school that will receive the $1 million field upgrade.
Public voting runs October 8–25 at FridayNight5GLights.com.
Applications for the program remain open through Sept. 18 at FridayNight5GLights.com. Any high school in a town of fewer than 150,000 people can apply, and every applicant is automatically entered into the weekly $5K Fridays giveaway.
The following Virginia schools are among the first 300 winners nationwide:
| SCHOOL | CITY | COUNTY/REGION |
| Southampton High School | Courtland | Southampton County |
| Culpeper County High School | Culpeper | Culpeper County |
| Fort Defiance High School | Fort Defiance | Augusta County |
| Franklin High School | Franklin | City of Franklin |
| James Monroe High School | Fredericksburg | City of Fredericksburg |
| Skyline High School | Front Royal | Warren County |
| Marion Senior High School | Marion | Smyth County |
| Louisa County High School | Mineral | Louisa County |
| West Point High School | West Point | King William County |
| Central High School | Woodstock | Shenandoah County |