A Barnhart-based sign company recently donated and installed a refurbished digital football scoreboard valued at $500,000 to $600,000 at Northwest R-1 High School.
Piros Signs also offered to relocate the digital portion of the high school’s existing scoreboard to a new location near the concession stand, allowing for a scoreboard at each end of the football field.
In a recent written statement posted on the Northwest R-1 District website, it read that the owners of Piros Signs, who have grown up and raised families in the Northwest community, donated the sign as a way to give back to the students, staff, faculty and Lion family close to their hearts.
“We install displays like this at schools across the country, so our competitive side definitely comes out when we see what other communities have been able to do,” David Brand Jr., Piros Signs vice president, said in the statement. “We knew we had the experience and resources to make something like this happen for our own school, and we’re extremely proud to give back to the community where we were born and raised.”
The refurbished football scoreboard, a Daktronics HD display measuring 18 by 32 feet, had been previously installed at both Jefferson City High School and Windsor High School. The statement read that, after surviving severe storms that damaged the scoreboard at both locations, Piros Signs completely restored it to original specifications. Now, the high-tech sign has found its permanent home at Northwest.
The donated scoreboard has a Daktronics SportsSound 1500 sound system. According to the announcement from the district, the sound system can serve stadiums of up to 8,000 fans with a maximum rating of 137 dB and will extend the existing audio from the press box at Lions Stadium.
Before the installation began, Northwest R-1 Superintendent Kyle Gibbs told the school board at its August meeting that the district would only be responsible for the cost of a Daktronics technician to ensure that all football field systems were synchronized with the new scoreboard and the relocated existing scoreboard. Unanimously approved by school board officials, this cost was estimated to be less than $10,000.
The scoreboard officially lit up for the first time at the Sept. 25 varsity football game.
In a written statement, Kyle Wampler, Northwest’s athletic director, said, “We are extremely grateful for this generous donation and the investment it represents in Northwest and our community. Gifts like this have an impact that will be felt by our students and families for many years to come.”