Tonight A Tuscaloosa Teacher Drives Home In A Mercedes

Well, the school teachers have finally reached that time of year that hopefully is a little easier to navigate than the last nine months.

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It is summertime in West Alabama. At the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, we at TownSquare Media Tuscaloosa partnered with Mercedes-Benz of Tuscaloosa to bring the Golden Apple Awards.

The idea came from the man that runs three great dealerships here in Tuscaloosa, Mercedes Benz Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa CDJR and Tuscaloosa Mazda. His name is Robb Billups. He has a deep personal connection to teachers in his family several of his family members our school teachers.

He knows what teachers deal with and battle on a daily basis he knows about the highs and the lows and the students that many teachers poor into with hopes of those young people making the right choices as they grow up. They are heroes and Robb Billups believes that more than anyone.

WHAT IS THE GRAND PRIZE FOR ONE SPECIAL TEACHER?

 
So when he approached us at the beginning of the school year and said he wanted to do something special for teachers, we didn’t see this coming. We were a bit shocked when he said at the end of the school year he wanted to give one special teacher, a brand new Mercedes Mercedes-Benz to drive for a year.

I’ve been doing this for decades and have been involved in many teacher acknowledgment efforts, but never has the prize been so great. So this evening, Robb and Mercedes Benz of Tuscaloosa along with Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa are hosting a special dinner for the teachers and their loved ones.

At the end of that dinner, one of those teachers in the room is going to be presented with the keys to a Mercedes. We will be live streaming that moment on our social media pages as well as featuring the video here.

Here is a rundown of the special teachers that are in the running for the grand prize in the Golden Apple Awards 2026:

Anna Ezell-Verner Elementary 

Dr. Brittany Spencer-Skyland Elementary School

Jacqueline Freeman Johnson-Southview Elementary School

Will Anderson-Northside Middle School 

Carlis Acker-TCSS

Candice Carlisle-Duncanville Middle School 

Lori Whatley-Myrtlewood Elementary

Heatherly Hardin-Tuscaloosa Academy 

Jameka Hinton -Skyland Elementary