McIntosh High’s Andrea Lakly was named the 2025 Fayette County Teacher of the Year at the annual awards ceremony on April 3.
Lakly teaches college prep 10th grade English and AP Literature at McIntosh. She has 21 years in the classroom, with 17 at MHS.
In her acceptance speech, she thanked her family, fellow finalists, former teachers, and colleagues and administrators, both current and past, for the impact they’ve had on her path.
“I am humbled, overwhelmed, and excited,” opened Lakly. “I am the teacher that I am today because of the incredible community that surrounds me.”
Herself a graduate of McIntosh, Lakly Is proud to now be shaping the next era of Chiefs.
“My extended family contains 10 MHS grads, and I am one of them. If you had told 18-year-old me that I would one day give a speech praising MHS, I would have rolled my eyes. Now, I’ve built a life that I am proud of around the people who have come and gone from that building,” she said.
“When people ask me what I love about my job, I always say that I love my students, and I do, but the truth is that I love my colleagues just as much. How could you not love a group of people who are using their one ‘wild and precious’ life to kindle understanding and hope in the next generation? Thank you, everyone. Thank you for allowing me to belong with you.”
The three finalists, Lakly along with Meghan Mills of Braelinn Elementary and Jennifer Doyal of Rising Starr Middle, were observed in their classrooms and interviewed by a five-person judging panel consisting of current and retired educators and last year’s county winner, Rob Bell. The teacher with the highest combined judges’ score was named the 2025 Fayette County Teacher of the Year.
This year’s awards ceremony was emceed by Christy Todd, 2022 Fayette County Teacher of the Year, 2024 Georgia Teacher of the Year, and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.
Posted 4/4/2025
