Jeff Gibson is such a great asset to the MTSU College of Liberal Arts, and to the Tennessee Arts Academy, as well. He is passionate about students, teachers, and the future of arts education. I am so thankful to know him!
Kami Lunsford
May 4-8 is Teacher Appreciation Week, and the TAA Foundation wants to let teachers know how much we appreciate all they do every day of the year. To do so, we have created an all new super-cool event – The TAA Foundation Teacher Appreciation Donation Sensation!!
The Teacher Appreciation Donation Sensation will not only honor teachers but will also give the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation an opportunity to raise much needed unrestricted dollars to keep the Tennessee Arts Academy alive and healthy and to replenish our scholarship fund.
On May 4th - 8th TAA is giving everyone the ability to nominate their favorite teacher they have had in their lifetime. It can be any teacher in any content area, present or past, you hold in high regard. The top three teachers that get the most nominations and the top three teachers that get the most money raised will all win prizes. See the prize chart below. All teachers nominated will be recognized on our website and on social media and each teacher nominated will also be sent a notice that you nominated them (as long as you provide some kind of contact information for the teacher you nominate).
To nominate a teacher, you must make a donation. Donations can be made in any amount starting at $10. The more you give in honor of a teacher, the more chances that teacher has to win a grand prize!
The 2026 Contest Days and Hours Are as Follows:
Tuesday: May 5 from 12 NOON–6 PM CDT
Wednesday: May 6 from 12 NOON–6 PM CDT
Thursday: May 7 from 12 NOON–6 PM CDT
A point system will be used to determine the winning teachers as follows:
• For each unique donation you make for your favorite teacher, 1 donation (no matter the amount) = 1 point.
• For each dollar you contribute, 1 dollar = 1 point.
Reach out to your friends and family and get them all to donate for your favorite teacher to make sure your teacher comes out on top!!
Teachers With Highest Grand Total Of Unique Donation Points Will Win:
1st: $100 gift card
2nd: $75 gift card
3rd: $50 gift card
Teachers With Highest Grand Total Dollars Raised Points Will Win:
1st: $100 gift card
2nd: $75 gift card
3rd: $50 gift card
NOTE: Teachers can only win in one category. If they place in both, they will be awarded in the category where they achieved the highest ranking!
Each day of the contest, TAA will encourage teachers, students, families, artists, etc., to share a story about the All-Time Favorite Teacher they are honoring and why they’ve made such a significant impact on them. This can be a written story or a short video. To be considered, they must mention the name of the educator, tag @TNArtsAcademy (on Twitter & Instagram) or @TennesseeArtsAcademy (on Facebook), @tennessee.arts.academy (TikTok), and include the hashtag #TAATeacherAppreciation in their post.
At the End of the Contest:
● The teacher who makes the first post on social media about this fundraiser: Wins an extra 25 points to their unique donation count.
● Teachers who have the most mentions on social media: Wins an extra 50 points to their unique donation count.
● Teachers who have the funniest story shared about them: Wins an extra 75 points added to their final dollar amount.
● Teacher with the most moving impact story shared about them: Wins an extra 100 points added to their final dollar amount.
Categories Will Repeat Each Day (Tues-Wed-Thursday)
(Extra bonus points awarded to the individuals who donate exactly at the stated time!)
• Early Bird Opening Day Donation, first donation of the contest each day (12:00 pm CDT): Win an extra 100 points added to final dollar amount
• Lunchtime Donation at 12:30 pm: Win an extra 50 points added to final dollar amount
• Breaktime Donation at 3:00 pm: Win an extra 50 points added to final dollar amount
• Happy Hour Donation at 4:00 pm: Win an extra 50 points added to final dollar amount
• Dinnertime Donation at 5:30 pm: Win an extra 50 points added to final dollar amount
• Get Outta Here Closing Day Donation, final donation of the contest each day (6:00 pm CDT): Win an extra 100 points added to final dollar amount• Most Unique Donations Made Each Day for a Favorite Teacher: Boosts the final unique donation count for that teacher by 50 points (1st place), 35 points (2nd place), and 20 points (3rd place)
• Highest Dollar Amount Raised Each Day for a Favorite Teacher: Boosts the final dollar amount raised by 100 points (1st place), 50 points (2nd place), and 25 points (3rd place)
• Most Unique Donations 12:00 Noon to 2:59 pm CDT: Boost to final unique donation count by 30 points (1st place), 20 points (2nd place), and 10 points (3rd place)
• Most Dollars Raised 12:00 Noon to 2:59 pm CDT: Boost the final dollar amount raised by 75 points (1st place), 50 points (2nd place), and 25 points (3rd place)
• Most Unique Donations 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm CDT: Boost to final unique donation count by 30 points (1st place), 20 points (2nd place), and 10 points (3rd place)
• Most Dollars Raised 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm CDT: Boost the final dollar amount raised by 75 points (1st place), 50 points (2nd place), and 25 points (3rd place)
Click the green button above or below to go to our donation page!
NOTE - the site is active now, so if you want to give it a test run and get started early, click any green donate button on this page!
Here are ways your dollars help teachers who attend the Tennessee Arts Academy Summer Institute:
• $489 - Helps provide registration fees for one teacher who does not receive funding from their school or system
• $175 - Helps provide a double room to stay on campus for one teacher who does not receive funding from their school or system
• $150 - Helps provide travel costs for one teacher who does not receive funding from their school or system
• $100 - Helps provide teaching materials for one arts education teacher
• $75 - Helps provide three dinner meals that are not included during the summer Academy week for a teacher who does not receive funding from their school or system
• $50 - Helps provide newsletter printing and distribution for one day of the Academy
• $25 - Helps provide two on-campus lunch meals for a teacher during the Academy
• $10 - Helps provide one on-campus breakfast meal for a teacher during the Academy
