New Jersey culinary arts teacher Neil Trimper jumped from 14,500 feet at Sussex County Airport during T-Mobile’s Friday night 5G Lights competition to canvass votes for Sussex County Technical School — an effort that supporters say could lead to major renovations of the school’s athletic facilities.
Sussex County Technical School is one of 10 schools vying for the $250,000 East Region prize, and a region win would put the Broncos in the Final Four and a chance to receive a $1 million football stadium renovation, according to the schools football committee.
(Image obtained by NBC New York)
Trimper, known as “Chef T” to students, skydived at the Sussex County Airport on Sunday, wearing a pink T-Mobile outfit and using a matching pink parachute, according to a news release.
“Two weeks ago I got a text. ‘Hey, do you want to jump out of a plane?’ I believe it was 8:30 in the morning. I was teaching kids,” Trimper said.
“I ask, ‘What would you do?'” Trimper said, and my students say, “Come on, cook.”
Supporters say the stakes are high for a school with decades-old athletic facilities, including a lack of field lights.
“We don’t have the best playground. We don’t have lights. Other schools around here have lights. That’s what it’s like on Friday night – we don’t have that,” Trimper said.
Sussex County Technical School art teacher Neil Trimper jumped from 14,500 feet at the Sussex County Airport (Photo: NBC New York)
Parent Kristy Pinand said the school needs votes as it competes for competitive seats.
“We now have a one-in-10 chance of winning $250,000 and then doing a million-dollar field renovation. We’re tied with another school. Now we’re sitting in second place, so we need votes,” Pinand said.
Sussex Tech has received $30,000 in prize money from the competition and is the only company still competing in the tri-state regional finals, according to the football committee.
Voting closes on October 25 and will be held once a day. Click this link to vote.
This story was originally reported and broadcast by NBC New York. Artificial intelligence tools helped convert the story into a digital article, which NBC New York reporters edited for publication.