Friday Night Lights— it isn't just a show about a Midwest football team on NBC. It could be a reality for Deer Park students, if plans to erect night lights on the high school football field go forward.

The Deer Park school board has worked for two years to secure funding from Tanger Outlets in Deer Park for night lights on the high school football field. The school district has received a gift from the newly opened Tanger Outlets of $120,000 which may go towards the project.

Noting the lack of game fields for the school district, the board president Dennis Ryan hoped that this would increase opportunities for high school students to play at their home field, especially lacrosse and football teams.

"We secured a donation from Tanger for field lights for the high school," said Ryan. "The $120,000 is not mandated to go to the lights but we have many girls and boys who don't get to play and practice at the school they grew up in."

Early estimates for the lights were $140,000, but when the architectural plans came back that number was bumped up to $229,000. Ryan suggests that those prices are inflated and hopes to do this project between $200-210,000. "Our first donation is from Tanger Outlets, but now we need to go out and get a little more." He is looking to other sources, outside the tax base, to find money to finance the rest of the project.

Some concerns that surfaced at the November board meeting included security for the field, if it was used at night.

A new security plan will have to be drawn up, conceded Ryan. Also fencing will be erected to keep people contained to one area at night, he said. "The whole campus will not be open for people to traipse around," Ryan said.

"When the lights are up, it will be a good way for people to come together," added Ryan. "It's a cheap way to go out with the family and have fun for the night."

At a recent school board meeting, Corinne Gimeli, a parent, hoped that the board would change their minds and earmark the money for an upgrade for the high school bathroom and locker rooms.

When the Babylon Beacon newspaper asked Dennis Ryan about locker rooms later, he said that bathrooms are slated to be upgraded in the summer of 2009, commented Ryan. "We will be getting new lockers, repainting, and getting the showers redone," he said.

In other board news, more than six thousand dollars was raised by the Deer Park Special Education Parent Faculty Club at their latest fundraiser "A night on the town" hosted at Changing Times Ale House in Northport. "Some of the money will be donated to families in need for the holiday Christmas season," said Lisa Guerriero, president of the organization. They also donate money towards scholarships.

That evening, A Korean War Veteran—

Donald Joseph Link­—

was given an honorary high

school diploma for his service as part of Operation Recognition sponsored by the State Education Department to Veterans of Foreign War. Although he could not attend, the room applauded for the unseen soldier.

Eighth grader Nicholas Villanueva, read an essay with gratitude to the military. "It is because of our brave military that we are able to live in peace, harmony and happiness," Nicholas wrote. "Many of us complain about the price of gas, food and taxes, but that is not nearly as much of a price that the military troops must pay. Many of our soldiers pay for our freedom with their lives and the family members they leave behind are brokenhearted forever."

"All of us Americans should be forever grateful for our courageous military men and women for protecting our country, The United States of America," Nicholas concluded.