Fellow educators and program sponsors celebrated all 15 of the Bulloch County Schools’ school-level Teachers of the Year for 2026-2027 and named the five finalists for the county-level honor during an awards dinner Thursday night.

Those five finalists are Zach Barrow, eighth-grade Georgia Studies teacher at William James Middle School; John Hendrix, engineering and technology teacher at Portal Middle High School; Joanna Mosely, fifth-grade math teacher at Stilson Elementary; Anna Swint, eighth-grade English-language arts teacher at Southeast Bulloch Middle School; and Raymond Mendoza, Spanish language teacher at Statesboro High School. One by one, the principal or an assistant principal from each school came to the front of the special events room at the William James Educational Complex with their school’s honoree to talk about what makes that person an admired and accomplished teacher.

Each school-level honoree had been chosen by a vote of faculty-member peers at their school.

But the last five school-level winners to be called forward and introduced were actually the five county-level finalists. To compete for the district honor, schools’ honorees submit an application with biographical information and answer essay questions reviewed by a committee.

As the banquet drew to a close, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Torian White, new in that role this year, announced the order of the runners-up.

In terms of surprise, the freshest top award was actually that for John Hendrix as first runner-up for 2026-2027 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year. Because of a change in the timing for the Georgia Teacher of the Year contest entry process, 2026-2027 Bulloch County Teacher of the Year Zach Barrow had actually been announced with a surprise reveal at his school, William James Middle, on Sept. 9.

County winner speaks

After being introduced by WJMS Principal Dr. John McAfee at Thursday’s awards dinner, the county-level honoree gave a brief keynote speech.

First, Barrow thanked Principal McAfee, Superintendent White, county school district Public Relations Director Hayley Greene who coordinates the local Teacher of the Year program, and the other district leaders and schools’ principals. Then Barrow thanked “paraprofessionals, nutrition staff, custodians, bus drivers and maintenance professionals” for keeping the schools running for students.

Of course, the county Teacher of the Year also congratulated and praised the other teachers.

“In this room, we are in the presence of some of the best teachers in the state, the nation, and the world,” Barrow said. “What you do each day is nothing short of remarkable as you shape our community's future. Beyond (Georgia) Milestones (standardized test) scores, graduation rates, i-Ready (student assessment) growth, there's a child somewhere in Bulloch County that is genuinely thankful for an adult in this room.

“In fact, there are more than 11,000 students enrolled in our schools, each of which have been impacted in some way by your actions,” he said to his Teacher of the Year peers.

Then White asked the others to join him in congratulating Barrow, who he noted was receiving, “a check for $3,000 for himself as a small token of appreciation for the wonderful things that you do.”

“So congratulations. No classroom expenditures,” White remarked, since the awards program sponsors encourage the teachers to spend the prize money on themselves instead of seeing it as a classroom grant. Barrow said, “I can’t promise.”

He will represent Bulloch County in Georgia's Teacher of the Year competition in May 2027, and could advance to the national contest in January 2028.

Prizes from sponsors

In addition to the $3,000 prize to the county winner, the first runner-up was provided a $1,000 check, and each of the other 13 school-level honorees received a $500 prize. So, the total in prize money for Teachers of the Year was $10,500, including $4,750 contributed by Parker’s Fueling the Community program, another $4,750 from the Bulloch County Foundation from Public School Education, with both those organizations being “platinum level” sponsors, and $1,000 from NFP Insurance Broker & Employee Benefits Consulting as “gold level” sponsor.

The Bulloch County Schools System and the Statesboro Herald were also identified as “platinum” sponsors for hosting the dinner and providing the meal, award plaques and later feature pages on the winners. Jim Healy, the Herald’s operations manager and editor, served as master of ceremonies.

Hendrix’s latest award

Before being announced as first runner-up for county Teacher of the Year, John Hendrix was introduced as Portal Middle High School’s honoree by PMHS Principal Dr. Julie Blackmar.

In the process, she noted he had already received a different, statewide Teacher of the Year distinction.

Back in September of last year, the Air & Space Forces Association named Hendrix its 2025 Georgia STEM Teacher of the Year. He launched Portal Middle High’s engineering and technology career pathway about seven years earlier. Earlier still, Hendrix had graduated from Portal High in 2004 as valedictorian and STAR student.

Attaining a bachelor's degree in biology and ecology at the University of Georgia and a master's in science education from Georgia State, Hendrix began his teaching career elsewhere in Georgia, circa 2013, but returned to Portal to teach in 2018.

“John, I apologize, but I do have to start by saying that you are the quintessential absent-minded professor,” Blackmar said. “I'm sorry about that. But wait, there's a good part. Like that professor, he's also brilliant. And when I think about John, what comes to mind, along with his brilliance, is his passion for what he teaches.”

She observed that Hendrix seeks every grant, scholarship and partnership he can to enhance Portal Middle High’s engineering program to benefit students. She kidded, maybe, that some of his “ideas and partnerships” such as a metal-casting program launched with cooperation from Georgia Southern University, made her “very concerned.” But Blackmar added that without “any fingers or limbs burned off” participating students soon received an honorable mention in a national competition.

Additionally, Hendrix this past year was one of 50 teachers selected, nationally, to participate in the Liftoff Summer Institute sponsored by NASA. So he spent a week at the Johnson Space Center to learn about things such as microgravity, whatever that is. “I didn’t look I up,” Blackmar said.

Stilson’s Ms. Mosely

Joanna Mosely, fifth-grade lead math teacher at Stilson Elementary School, is that school’s Teacher of the Year, as well as, officially, second runner-up for countywide.

Stilson Elementary Principal Beth Stewart noted that this was Red Ribbon Week, with a “superheroes” theme for students and teachers.

Mosely “showed up at Stilson like a superhero,” Stewart said. “She flew in on a mission with something to prove, not only to herself but to her students. She embraced all of the initiatives and simply just staked her claim on our sweet little school.

“Math is her jam, but she doesn't stop there. Just like a superhero, she saves people,” Mosely’s principal continued. “She lifts others up. She shows immense strength in times of stress. She mentors young and old. She even shows up at other schools to help make things better for their students.”

SEB Middle’s Anna Swint

Eighth-grade English-language arts teacher Anna Swint is Teacher of the Year at Southeast Bulloch Middle School, and also one of the five county finalists.

SEBMS Principal Dr. Todd Veland noted that Thursday morning, another teacher had asked the entire staff, without Swint knowing, to get a flower and a Post-It note and take these to her during the day to congratulate her.

“So … I want to read you some of the things that were posted,” Veland said. “‘You inspire teachers and students with your kind, witty heart and passion for teaching. Keep being great.’

“‘Congratulations. Thank you always for being true to yourself and authentically real for our students.’” the messages to Swint continued. “‘To the best team leader, mentor, and friend, congratulations on Teacher of the Year. No one is more deserving because of your passion and dedication to our school. The ELA team loves you.’”

Statesboro High’s Mendoza

Raymond Mendoza, Spanish I and II teacher at Statesboro High School, is the school’s Teacher of the Year, and also one of the county finalists.

“But the thing about Mr. Mendoza is that he doesn't only focus on teaching students Spanish,” said Shannon Hinson, an assistant principal. “He focuses on the whole child. He loves those kids from the moment they come in there, even the ones that are hard to love. I found him sitting down with the kids, talking to them, just trying to figure out if they're having a bad day. ‘What's going on?’ You know, ‘How can I help you?’”

Bulloch County’s other Teachers of the Year for 2026-2027 are Ciara Sims at Brooklet Elementary, Melissa Bazemore at Julia P. Bryant Elementary, Grayson Ray at Langston Chapel Elementary, Taylor Elkins at Langston Chapel Middle, Colleen Winslette at Mattie Lively Elementary, Katina Archie at Mill Creek Elementary, Haven Sells at Nevils Elementary, Sarah Earls at Portal Elementary, Elise Gottlieb at Sallie Zetterower Elementary and Diana Johnson at Southeast Bulloch High.

All 15 will be spotlighted on feature pages in separate editions of the Statesboro Herald later in the school year.