October 2, 2026 — The tears started flowing before Kylie Hardy stepped onto the stage. As Cobb’s Teacher of the Year prepared to celebrate her handprints becoming a permanent part of Marietta Square, she reflected on all the hands that had helped her reach that moment. 

There were the teachers she considered her heroes, the educators who came before her, and the colleagues who shared her commitment to helping students succeed. For the Mableton Elementary School ESOL teacher, the theme of the day was simple: It takes a village. 

Seeing her handprints surrounded by those of other outstanding educators brought that message to life. 

“It just reminds me of the responsibility and the honor and the privilege of being in this position,” Hardy shared. 

The handprint ceremony recognized Cobb’s 2026-27 District Teacher of the Year, but Hardy saw the celebration as an opportunity to recognize the people who shaped her journey—and the students whose journeys she is helping shape today. Some of those students had their own moment in the spotlight. 

Mableton’s student singers, the "Mabletones," performed in English and Spanish, a moment that carried special meaning for a teacher who knew how much work had brought them to the stage. Just a few years ago, Hardy explained, many of those same students spoke little or no English.. Now, they were sharing their voices with the community. 

As an English to Speakers of Other Languages teacher, Hardy helps students develop the language skills and confidence to express themselves. Watching them perform offered a powerful reminder of how far they had come.

“Being able to use your voice is such a big part of what I do with the kids,” Hardy explained. 

By stepping onto the stage herself, she hoped to encourage her students to believe they could do the same. That example extends beyond public speaking. 

As the community celebrates her work as an educator, Hardy is continuing her own education through Georgia’s BEST. Returning to school was something she once thought she would never do. After completing college and beginning her teaching career, the idea of adding coursework to days already spent in a classroom felt overwhelming. Then Georgia’s BEST came along. Hardy decided to give it a chance. Now, with her second-to-last course completed and her capstone portfolio underway, she is approaching the finish line. 

Along the way, she has discovered lessons she could put to work with her students almost immediately. 

“I knew that I would learn things, but I didn’t know that I would learn as much as I did, and how applicable it would be to my instruction almost immediately,” she said. 

The experience has also given her another lesson to share with her students: They can do hard things. By telling them she is going back to school to become better at what she does, Hardy hopes to inspire them to keep learning, too.

 That sense of responsibility is central to how she views her role as Cobb’s Teacher of the Year. 

“I’m incredibly honored. But then I feel the responsibility of advocating for this profession and representing the teachers who are in the trenches with me,” Hardy said. “And I am just one of many incredible Cobb County teachers.” 

Her message to those fellow educators is to recognize the small wins along the way. A student finding the confidence to speak. A lesson beginning to click. Progress that might seem small but represents something significant for the child. 

“I don’t think that you have to have these big accomplishments to determine your value as an educator,” Hardy explained. “Just look for the small things, look for the little wins, because any type of progress is something to celebrate.” She knows the work is demanding and that some days are harder than others. Still, she wants teachers to remember the difference they can make. “The work that we are doing matters,” she said. 

Her own teachers helped her reach the stage on Marietta Square. Now, as her handprints take their place alongside those of the educators who came before her, Hardy is helping her students take their next steps. 

“You have the power to change a life.”