As a packed gym began to roar, officials from the Cobb County School District and her own family awaited away from the bleachers.
The rally at Pope High School on Tuesday morning turned into a celebration for one of their own. Amanda Dillard was named Cobb’s teacher of the year for 2025, two weeks after being named the district’s high school teacher of the year.
“It was a huge surprise to be named the District Teacher of the Year for Cobb County. I feel really honored and just really blessed overall for being recognized that way,” said Dillard, whose students also gave testimonials for her impact on their lives.
“My goal is to help my students be successful, not just here at Pope, but when they graduate and later on in life as well,” she said.
Benjamin, a sophomore, said Dillard helped him catch up academically, and wouldn’t let him give up.
“The times that I wasn’t feeling like I could do it, or if my brain just wasn’t clicking on whatever it was, she wouldn’t stop saying, ‘I can do this. You got this. I can help you,’ ” Benjamin said in a release issued by the Cobb school district.
Another Pope student, Landon, a senior, said that Dillard is “…a joy to see. . . . She always manages to find a way to make us want to do our best,” Landon explained.
Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and Cobb Board of Education members John Cristadoro, David Chastain and Brad Wheeler were in attendance at the pep rally, as were Dillard’s husband Josh, and their three sons.
As the district’s teacher of the year, Dillard will be honored at a special ceremony this fall at the Marietta Square, where her handprints will be cemented on the Walk of Fame.
That’s part of a celebration organized by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce called Give Our Schools a Hand. Her students will also join her for a memorable pep rally that honors Teachers of the Year across Cobb.
“Seeing Ms. Dillard with her students today reminds me why Cobb’s families love our schools. Our teachers really, actually care about our students, and, especially on days like today, it shows,” Chastain said.
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