Jefferson’s of Fort Payne is pleased to announce that Riley Carroll has been named Jefferson’s 2026 Fort Payne Teacher of the Year! Mr. Carroll is the 6-12 band director at Plainview School. Mr. Carroll’s own band experience in sixth grade inspired his love for playing music, and he is now in his second year of teaching.
Mr. Carroll was chosen from a highly competitive pool of nominations submitted by students and community members. The contest, launched in honor of National Teachers’ Day on May 5, aims to recognize one of Fort Payne’s many deserving educators. Jefferson’s selected Mr. Carroll as the Fort Payne Teacher of the Year for his hard work and endless encouragement.
“Mr. Carroll’s nominators used a number of superlatives to describe him,” said franchisee/co-owner Jake Lund. “Playful, hardworking, unique, supportive, patient, nonjudgmental, among many others. He creates a place for students to build confidence, and he cares about his students’ whole-person wellbeing. Mr. Carroll embodies everything our communities value in their teachers and leaders, and we’re honored to recognize him for his dedication to the Fort Payne community.”
Carroll will receive a $500 gift card to Jefferson’s, and his achievement will be commemorated on the “Jefferson’s Teacher of the Year” plaque at the Fort Payne restaurant.
“Being a teacher has been a privilege and an honor,” said Mr. Carroll in a statement. “I believe that every child deserves to have a person in their lives that they can look up to, and I want to be that for these kids. Music education is more than just playing an instrument or singing, it’s an opportunity for kids to learn who they are. It’s a place where any child can throw off the weight of the world into a performance and be themselves.”
Last year was the launch of the Teacher of the Year program, with Michael Phillips, also a teacher at Plainview School, selected as Fort Payne’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.
This year is the sophomore run for the Jefferson’s Teacher of the Year award, launched as a companion program to Jefferson’s Coach of the Year award, which runs in the fall. The teachers’ initiative is open to teachers working with students of any age, and candidates could be nominated by students, parents and guardians of students, school officials, or other community members.