COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A parade is kicking off a celebration of South Carolina's best teachers.

The annual Teacher of the Year ceremony begins Tuesday with a parade to the Columbia Convention Center. Organizers say more than 80 district-level teachers of the year will leave the Hilton hotel at 5:30 p.m. for the one-block walk. A marching band will accompany them.

Event organizer South Carolina Future Minds invites residents to join the festivities to honor public school teachers.

A reception sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina starts at the convention center at 6 p.m. Dinner follows at 7 p.m.

The state's 2012-13 teacher of the year will get to drive a BMW X3 for the next year provided by the automaker and the event's premier sponsor.

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