Airline High School has once again earned national recognition and financial support for its football program, becoming a $5,000 winner in the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights program.
The award marks the second time Airline has received a $5,000 grant through the program. The Vikings also earned a $5,000 prize during the inaugural Friday Night 5G Lights competition in 2024.
School leaders said the latest award reflects the strong support surrounding Airline High School and its football program, with Friday nights serving as a gathering place for students, families, alumni and the Bossier Parish community.
In its application, Airline described its fan base as one that “supports us unconditionally.” While the school has built a strong football tradition over the years, leaders said additional facility improvements are needed to continue providing opportunities for student-athletes.
“This money would completely change the game for Airline High School and our football program,” school leaders wrote in their application. “We would love the opportunity to continue to build on our successes and make this the best facility in the state of Louisiana.”
The $5,000 grant adds to Airline’s growing success in the Friday Night 5G Lights program and provides another opportunity to support the school’s football program and future facility improvements.
Airline High School is one of 13 Louisiana schools that have each earned a $5,000 Friday Night 5G Lights grant so far during the 2026 season. The winning schools represent communities from across Louisiana, including several in northwest Louisiana.
The Louisiana schools receiving $5,000 grants so far include:
- Airline High School in Bossier City
- Berwick High School in Berwick
- Cecilia High School in Breaux Bridge
- Covington High School in Covington
- DeRidder High School in DeRidder
- Glenbrook School in Minden
- Haughton High School in Haughton
- Jewel Sumner High School in Kentwood
- Notre Dame High School in Crowley
- Plain Dealing High School in Plain Dealing
- River Oaks High School in Monroe
- Riverside Academy in Reserve
- South Beauregard High School in Longville
For Bossier Parish, Airline joins Haughton and Plain Dealing among the Louisiana schools already receiving recognition through the program, while nearby Glenbrook School in Minden was also selected.
Now in its third season, T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights program gives eligible high schools in towns with populations of 150,000 or fewer the opportunity to compete for more than $8.4 million in prizes. The program includes weekly $5,000 grants, regional finalist awards and a $1 million grand prize for a football field upgrade.
Since the program began, more than 750 schools across the country have earned prizes through Friday Night 5G Lights.
Inola High School in Inola, Oklahoma, became the program’s inaugural champion in 2024, earning a $1 million football field transformation. In 2025, Dierks High School in Arkansas captured nearly 2 million votes and secured its own $1 million field upgrade.
For Airline High School, the latest award represents more than a financial boost. It reflects the support of a community that continues to rally behind its students and student-athletes.
As the Vikings continue their football tradition, the $5,000 grant adds another chapter to Airline High School’s success in the Friday Night 5G Lights competition and gives the school another opportunity to build toward future improvements.