Behind every successful student is a teacher who unlocked their potential and sparked their passion to succeed.

In celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week, Toyota Mississippi shined a well-deserved spotlight on 130 middle school teachers from Pontotoc County and City School Districts to thank them for their passion, commitment and belief that every student deserves to thrive.

“Our local teachers are shaping the future through our students,” Toyota Mississippi President Erik Skaggs said. “Their dedication and passion deserves our highest appreciation. We want them to know what their impact means to Toyota and our greater community.”

To show their gratitude, the Toyota Mississippi team warmly welcomed teachers with a festive food truck lunch and beverage cart, Toyota-branded gift bags packed with cool teacher essentials and Amazon gift cards. They also received team member fanfare with posters, balloons and praise.

But the celebration didn’t stop there. Toyota capped off the week by revealing an open grant application for “Teacher’s Choice Grants,” inviting all Pontotoc Middle School teachers to submit grant proposals for up to $5,000 for educational programs, classroom innovations and other creative student learning initiatives. A total of $60,000 is earmarked for this program; grant recipients will be announced and awarded later this fall.

Toyota Mississippi is committed to partnering with communities to fulfill its mission to change lives, make connections and build a brighter, sustainable future together.

For more information on Toyota’s mission, go here.