Biology teacher Mari Richardson was named 2026 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year. The Jean Ribault High School teacher was selected from a pool of about 180 candidates. Superintendent Christopher Bernier says “she meets students where they are, helps them to exceed their own expectations, and creates a classroom where confidence and achievement grow together.” As a thanks for her dedication to her students, Richardson won grants for her classroom, a cash prize and a new car. She’ll also go on to represent Duval at the Florida Teacher of the Year awards. Way to go!

These 10 Jacksonville students will perform at Carnegie Hall next weekend in a prestigious music competition. | Submitted

Debra Joshua marches in the 45th Martin Luther King Jr. Grand Parade through Downtown Jacksonville on Monday. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Get wild at the Orange Park Mall's Friday Night Safari. | Submitted

Greenscape of Jacksonville is giving away free trees this Saturday. | Greenscape of Jacksonville

The new North Beach Park has a spot to hang love locks. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today

A patient at Wolfson Children's Hospital (left) enjoys a gift from Buffalo, and a patient at Golisano Children's Hospital of Buffalo enjoys a gift from Jacksonville. | Submitted

You could win a trip to the Super Bowl to cheer on a team that may or may not be from Jacksonville. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

BEAM Thrift was voted best thrift store at the Beaches. | Submitted

(From left) Leila Warren, Jayden Giselle Register and Eiana Claire Nova are three of six Douglas Anderson School of the Arts students selected as 2026 YoungArts honorees. | Submitted

Mayor Donna Deegan (third from left) with the team who won the second Jax Litter League challenge | Wes Lester, city of Jacksonville

Jaguars nose tackle DaVon Hamilton is all smiles with 9-year-old Jayden Parker during the team's annual Shop with a Jaguar event on Monday. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

The River City Readers bookmobile brings free books to kids in Jacksonville. | Cummer Museum

More than 90 people took the oath of citizenship during halftime of yesterday's contest between the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

A former payphone on Riverside Avenue is now the Banana Phone, thanks to sculptor Mere Mason. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today

Clay County residents can get a limited-edition library card with a artwork from this year's Art the Card contest. | Clay County Public Library

Fans cheer on the Jags at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Students accept their scholarship awards Monday at Edward Waters University. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today

Take the kids to the zoo for free this month. | Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens