Alison Hardin, fifth-grade English language-arts teacher at Brooklet Elementary School and a lead teacher for the county's New Teacher Professional Development Program, emphasizes teamwork. She has been a cheerleading coach more than once. Now, she's the Bulloch County Schools' 2025–2026 district-level Teacher of the Year.

Bulloch County Schools and the Statesboro Herald hosted the banquet honoring Teachers of the Year on Monday evening in a conference room at the school system's central office complex. In addition to the school district and newspaper, other "platinum" sponsors were Parker's Fueling the Community Program and the Bulloch County Foundation for Public School Education, while NFP Insurance was "gold" sponsor. Those sponsors supplied cash awards totaling $10,500 for the teachers.

Hardin, who was already Brooklet Elementary's school-level honoree by selection of her peers, and Amy Smith, who is William James Middle School's school-level Teacher of the Year, were named winner and first runner-up, respectively, for the county-wide honor. Three other finalists were also saluted and, indeed, all 15 of the school-level Teachers of the Year received words of praise from principals or assistant principals representing their schools, as well as a little cash.

Next, Hardin is expected to represent Bulloch County in the 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year competition. Smith would presumably take her place if Hardin couldn't compete. But it's a safe bet that Hardin intends to compete for an award that would have her become a sort of statewide cheerleader for teachers and their schools.

"I became a teacher because of the love of learning and sense of community that I experienced as a student," Hardin wrote in her brief biography for the county nomination. "From Girl Scouts as a young child to cheerleading in high school, I have always loved being part of a team. My goal has always been to give students that feeling of pride that can only be achieved through teamwork and dedication to reaching a common goal."

Twice at Brooklet

Originally from Lawrenceville, Alison Mathis first came to Bulloch County as a Georgia Southern  University student in 2008, and graduated with her Bachelor of Science-Education in December 2012 before  attaining her Master  of Education, also in elementary education and from Georgia Southern, in December 2015.

Her first job as a certified teacher was at Brooklet Elementary, where she initially taught for three years, 2013-2016. During that time, she also served as varsity football cheerleading head coach and varsity competition cheerleading assistant coach for Southeast Bulloch High School.

In 2016, she married Dustin Hardin, and they moved to Macon, where she taught in the Macon-Bibb County Schools, in a series of three elementary schools in three years.

In 2019, the Hardins returned to Bulloch County, and she returned to teaching at Brooklet Elementary. She has remained at the school into her seventh year this time, so of her more than 12 years teaching thus far, more than nine years have been at Brooklet. 

Hardin also returned to coaching for a year, as competition cheerleading assistant coach for Southeast Bulloch Middle School, 2021-2022.

Top teacher mentor

This time around, she has also coached less experienced teachers and teachers-to-be, mentoring Georgia Southern pre-service teachers 2021-2023 and a Valdosta pre-service teacher, 2024-2025 also at Brooklet Elementary. She served as the school's lead teacher mentor 2022-2023. 

Since 2024, she serves as one of two countywide lead teachers – the other is Portal Middle High's Ashley Thompson – for the Bulloch school system's New Teacher Experience Program, a year-long training and mentoring effort for first-year teachers who are beginning their careers or are new to the district.

Also at the district level, Hardin was a member of the grades 2-5 content standards implementation team for 2024-2025.

But students remain her focus, Hardin emphasized in her brief bio.

"I get immense satisfaction from watching my students evolve throughout the course of the school year, and I make it a point to cheer them on in all aspects of their lives," she wrote. "From small wins in the classroom, to big wins as they make their first middle school sports teams or earn a place in Jr. BETA club; I am always cheering for them."

BES Principal Krista Branch recalled how she and Hardin first arrived at Brooklet Elementary as teachers in 2013, how Hardin carefully taught Branch's own child, and how she moved away and came  back.

"I'm so proud to see the dynamic, commanding educator she has become," Branch said Monday night. "Alison is not just a master of her classroom, she is a true teacher leader. One of her greatest strengths is her ability of mentorship."

Runner-up Amy Smith

Amy Smith, the 2025 county Teacher of the Year runner-up, is William James Middle School's STEM teacher, providing students hand-on and innovative learning experiences related  to science, technology engineer and math. She is also the seventh-grade teacher in QUEST, the enrichment program for students identified as "gifted," and heads the school's Connections department, coordinating electives-type courses.

"Ms. Smith has an incredible talent for anticipating challenges and finding solutions before  they become problems, making her a vital member of our leadership team," said WJMS Assistant Principal Sandy Evans. "Her colleagues deeply respect her insights, her work ethic and her willingness to support others."

Superintendent Charles Wilson had a role in Monday's ceremony, calling the names of each school-level honoree as they came forward to receive their desk nameplates – clear with the teacher's name above the school name – and their award checks. Then the five county-level finalists were asked to line up as their names were called.

Finally, first Smith and then Hardin were announced as the top county honorees. Hardin received a $3,000 stipend check; Smith received a $1,000 check.

The other three county-level finalists – Renee Rogers of Southeast Bulloch High School in third place, Cynthia Jersey of Mill Creek Elementary School in fourth and Jay McNeely of Nevils Elementary School, fifth – each received a $500 check.

So did all of the other 10 school-level Teachers of the Year: Zharia Williams of Julia P. Bryant Elementary School, India James of Langston Chapel Elementary School, Carneshia Bell of Langston Chapel Middle School, Niki Brown of Mattie Lively Elementary School, Haley McEachin of Portal Elementary School, Tendai Haggins of Portal Middle High School, Laney Waters of Sallie Zetterower Elementary School, Brandon Poole of Southeast Bulloch Middle School, Amy Altman of Statesboro High School and Leana Radcliffe of Stilson Elementary School.

Wilson noted that the checks were "not classroom grants" but for the teachers themselves to spend  however they like.

The group also heard remarks by Heather Gonzales, 2024-2025 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year, who has spoken during the year to other teacher assemblies and community groups in her role as local "ambassador for education."