Fox ValleySaturday, November 14
Menasha High School wins $1 million for a field upgrade at its tornado-damaged stadium
The Good Day Appleton team
Menasha High School is getting a $1 million field upgrade. T-Mobile announced Thursday that the Bluejays were the top vote-getter in its Friday Night 5G Lights contest, and the public's votes decided it. An EF-3 tornado hit the Fox Valley on July 27 and destroyed roughly half of Nathan Calder Stadium's bleachers, so the team played its home games this season at Lawrence University in Appleton.
T-Mobile said Menasha's total winnings come to $1.37 million, including a $90,000 Gronk Fitness gym upgrade.
- Celebration: planned for December
- Field unveiling: 2027
- Stadium goal: ready by next fall
- Division finalist award: $25,000
Rachael Dowling, who has two sons on the team, said not having a home field was "such a huge mental game for the kids to overcome, because every game felt like an away game." Quarterback Xavier John said news of the award sparked a celebration at school: "Everybody around the school erupted, I'm not going to lie."
More than 2,500 schools went after the $1 million prize
- 2,500+
- schools that applied
- 3.2 million+
- votes cast nationwide
- $8.4 million
- in prizes to high schools nationwide
Source: WPR
Sources: WPR, Kaukauna Community News, channel3000.com, WBAY