Inola High School Celebrates Victory in T-Mobile Friday Night Lights Competition

The gym at Inola High School was packed with cheering students, teachers, and community members as the school claimed the grand prize in T-Mobile’s Friday Night Lights competition.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for. Today, we’ve just been counting down to this moment so the students can see what’s going on and feel the joy and excitement,” said teacher Daleea Meeker, who entered the school in the contest back in August.

“I thought it might be a fun way to get kids involved,” she said.

The students went above and beyond.

“Anything that I have asked, they’ve done, and they’ve gone above and beyond doing things on their own,” said Meeker. 

The win was the result of months of hard work rallying support and votes from the entire student body.

“I sent a bunch of messages on Instagram. I know for a fact a bunch of the kids called superintendents all over the state,” said junior Caleb Helling.

Their victory in the nationwide competition will fund upgrades to athletic facilities, including a new football field and weight room, as well as a $100,000 grant to the school.

Helling said he’s proud their small school stood out among more than 1,700 entries.

“There were a lot of kids that I knew had school spirit, but I didn’t know how much they’d participate. They just stepped out of their comfort zone and really took hold of the situation. It was awesome,” he said.

Helling is now looking forward to Friday Night Lights even more.

“I cannot wait. I just picture the crowds filled up, all my buddies going out there, playing our senior year of football—it’s just gonna be awesome,” he said.

A future in Inola looks brighter than ever.

“This will absolutely change the community and the school system for generations,” Meeker said.