West Alabama Teacher Wins New Car In First “Golden Apple” Awards
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 to West Alabama.
The idea came from the man who 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 are 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 pour into, with hopes that those young people will make 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 Robb Billups 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 that at the end of the school year, he wanted to give one special teacher a brand-new Mercedes-Benz to drive for a year.
*The new Mercedes given away by Mercedes-Benz of Tuscaloosa as the grand prize from the Golden Apple Awards 2026.
Mercedes-Benz of Tuscaloosa always does things with class, and that was true last night at Avenue Pub/Northbank. MB-Tuscaloosa & Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa invited the nine winning teachers from the 2025/2026 school year, plus their spouses and families.
At the end of that dinner, all the teachers were given gifts (Apple MacBooks, Cash gift cards, etc.), and then this year's first grand prize winner was named.
Candice Carlisle, from Duncanville Middle School, was presented with the keys to a new Mercedes. We captured that moment on our social media pages and are featuring the video below.
*Credit: DC Daniel of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa
*Candice Carlisle and her husband, Chris, standing in front of their new Mercedes from Mercedes-Benz of Tuscaloosa
Listen to our interview with Candice, Chris, and Robb from Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa below:
Here is a rundown of all of our special teachers who were nominated 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
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Gallery Credit: ELLEN DEWITT