Rumors have been swirling online claiming that American Idol Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts donated his entire $500,000 prize to renovate Crestwood Elementary School and provide free education for low-income students. The heartwarming story quickly gained traction on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and Threads, with fans praising the 27-year-old Mississippi native for his alleged generosity.
But while the sentiment is inspiring, the reality doesn’t match the headlines.
Roberts, a former physical education teacher at Crestwood Elementary in Meridian, Mississippi, certainly has a history with the school—but there’s no credible evidence that he promised or donated his winnings to it. In fact, Snopes investigated the viral claim after receiving numerous reader inquiries and confirmed the story is false.
The origin of the rumor seems to be a misleading YouTube video posted on May 24, 2025, by a channel called “Digital Media.” The video stitches together a real clip of Roberts with a separate, unrelated man who falsely claims Roberts donated his winnings. The description of the video mirrors the same fabricated narrative circulating on social media, falsely stating Roberts “vowed to donate his entire $500,000 prize” to Crestwood Elementary.
To further cast doubt on the story, the video also incorrectly lists Roberts’ age as 23, when he is in fact 27. The YouTube channel itself is dubious, describing its focus as “stories of people who have passed on,” often showcasing funerals, gravesites, and other morbid content—a far cry from credible news.
It’s also worth noting that Crestwood Elementary is a public school, meaning it’s already taxpayer-funded and tuition-free. The claim that Roberts’ donation would somehow “provide free education” is fundamentally flawed.
In a May 28 interview with Us Weekly, Roberts set the record straight, stating he had not even received his winnings yet and planned to “put it in the bank” once he did. And the $500,000 figure? That’s not even accurate. Past winner Maddie Poppe revealed in a 2022 Business Insider interview that the actual prize is $250,000, paid in two installments, and subject to taxes and recoupable advances tied to a record deal.
Though Roberts didn’t make a grand philanthropic gesture with his prize money, he hasn’t forgotten his roots. The Meridian Public School District shared a congratulatory message on their website, and Roberts has continued to stay in touch with the students he once taught.
So while the viral donation story may be fiction, Roberts’ real-life journey from gym teacher to American Idol champion remains powerful—and his encouragement for young dreamers, especially in his hometown, is no less meaningful because of it.
