iHeartRadio, DonorsChoose Name Final Teacher Winners

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, February 12, 2026 | 2:38pm CT

Thank A Teacher

iHeartRadio and DonorsChoose have announced the final five winners in their nationwide "Thank a Teacher" campaign, concluding a yearlong effort that recognized educators across the country and awarded $50,000 in classroom funding.

Launched in July 2025, the initiative invited listeners in more than 160 radio markets to nominate their favorite teachers for a chance to be celebrated on-air and receive a $5,000 DonorsChoose gift card to support classroom needs. The campaign spanned more than 850 iHeartRadio stations and generated over 60,000 nominations from all 50 states during the 2025-26 school year.

DonorsChoose, a nonprofit organization that enables U.S. public school teachers to request classroom supplies, partnered with iHeartRadio on the promotion for the second consecutive decade. In total, 10 teachers were selected at random - five winners announced in September and the final five revealed this month - each receiving $5,000 in funding.

Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose, said at the launch that the campaign ensures educators "feel appreciated for going the extra mile," particularly as they prepare students for a new school year.

Jon Zellner, President of Programming Operations and Digital Music for iHeartMedia, said the program highlights the positive work happening daily in classrooms nationwide and offers a public show of appreciation to teachers.

As part of the effort, iHeartMedia donated $500,000 in public service announcements to promote the DonorsChoose mission and encourage listeners to support local public schools through the organization's website.

The campaign marks one of the largest national radio-driven teacher appreciation efforts this school year, combining on-air recognition with direct classroom funding.

Read the entire blog post here.