Your Ultimate Guide to Teacher Appreciation Month

May is almost here, and that means it's time to talk about the people who make Memphis better every single day — Memphis teachers.

And at City Leadership, we don't just celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. We do the whole month. Because one week has never been enough.

This year, Teach901 is going all in with four weeks of free events for Memphis educators, plus real ways for the rest of us to show up and say thank you. And I want to start there. With you.

Show Up For a Memphis Teacher

Behind every successful student, there's a teacher who refused to give up on them. This month, Give901 and Teach901 are asking our community to match that energy, and there's a way for everyone to play a part.

For the Teachers Reading This

Teaching is hard work. It has always been. And the teachers who stay, who choose this city, who choose these kids, year after year, they deserve more than a piece of candy and a "jean pass".

So this year, we built them a whole month. Four weeks. Four free events. Because if we're serious about keeping great teachers in Memphis, we have to be serious about taking care of them.

Here's what's coming:

Wellness Wednesday - April 29

We kick off with wellness on purpose. A teacher who is burned out, depleted, and running on empty cannot pour into a classroom full of kids who need everything they've got. We know that. And we take it seriously.

That's why we have arranged a free hot yoga class at Sana Yoga Downtown, 4:00 PM. Playa Bowls, French Truck Coffee, and Memphis Medical District Collaborative rounding it out. No lesson plans allowed.

Huge thanks to Memphis Medical District Collaborative for sponsoring this event!

Creative Night with Anna House - May 6

Teachers are some of the most creative people I know. But so much of that creativity gets spent on lesson plans, classroom management, and making something out of nothing with a budget that should be bigger. 

This night is about giving that creativity back, not for anyone else's benefit, just yours. You'll walk away with an embroidered tote bag that you actually made with your own hands. You earned it. Come make something with Anna House and be with other people who just get it.

Brew School at Flyway Brewing - May 13

Here's the thing about teachers, they never stop being curious. That's part of what makes them great at what they do. So we figured, let's put them in the role of the student for a night. No grades. No rubric. Just the joy of learning something new in a room full of people who are glad to be there. That's what Brew School at Flyway Brewing is. Fun, low-stakes, and genuinely a good time.

Guided tastings, a brewery tour, free samples, and good company. Come ready to learn something new.

Summer Kick-Off at Swamp Bar - May 20

Memphis teachers don't quit. Neither do we.

Let's show them what this city is made of.