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Oregon high school competes for cash in corporate contest

The Heath Stadium grandstands are nearly 70 years old. The school has fenced them off because they're not considered safe to use.
Lebanon Community Schools
The Heath Stadium grandstands are nearly 70 years old. The school has fenced them off because they're not considered safe to use.

An Oregon High School is competing for a $1 million prize in a national contest. The winnings would go to a new stadium.

Lebanon High School is currently in second place in the T-Mobile 5-G Friday night lights contest. 

Junior Callie Steinhebel, the captain of the dance team at Lebanon High, told KLCC she bugs her classmates and family daily to vote for her school.

“We’re getting so close to getting our votes and to seal first place,” she said. “So I’m really hoping everyone can band together and we can win.”

Lebanon High Athletic Director Kraig Hoene said Heath Stadium was old when he played football there in the 1980s. He says the stadium means a lot to the school, but also the town.

“We do Easter egg hunts there, memorial services, graduation," he said. "It’s really the center of our community for outdoor activities."

The contest includes weekly challenges. Last week was magenta week, Hoene said.

Fitzpatrick Painting in Albany painted the back of the stadium magenta last Friday for the T-Mobile night last Friday, Hoene told KLCC.

“It’s been a great experience to see the community rally,” he said.” They’ve always supported our kids and they’re not failing us now.”

Hoene wants to get the word out to the whole state of Oregon. And with College Game Day in Eugene this weekend, he’d love the reader board at the Ducks game to feature a link to vote for Lebanon High.

The deadline for the contest is Oct. 24. People can cast votes daily until then.

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.