Kevin Barry Named 2024 James B. Binko Award Winner for Outstanding Geography Educator-of-the-Year

Friday, June 7, 2024 – The winner of the Maryland Geographic Alliance’s James B. Binko Outstanding Geography Educator-of-the-Year Award is Kevin Barry of Charles County Public Schools. He is a social studies teacher and department chair at La Plata High School.

This prestigious award recognizes teachers who have made significant contributions to the advancement of geography education in Maryland and inspired students to engage with geography in meaningful ways. Mr. Barry’s innovative teaching methods and dedication to his students have made him a standout choice for this honor.

At La Plata High School, Mr. Barry has been a passionate advocate for geography education since he began teaching Advanced Placement Human Geography. His approach goes beyond preparing students for AP exams; he aims to transform their understanding of the world and inspire them to use geographic knowledge to make a difference. Since 2019, Mr. Barry has mentored students as they do geographic research projects for the annual “Mapping Maryland” ArcGIS Student Map Competition. Of all Maryland high schools, La Plata High School has been the leading producer of student winners for this competition. One of Mr. Barry’s students researched, “Lead Exposure in Baltimore,” and she won national accolades for her research. In addition, another student landed a summer internship as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology intern with the local county government.​​ Take together, this is compelling evidence of Mr. Barry’s excellence in geography education. 

Mr. Barry’s commitment to integrating GIS technology into his curriculum has been instrumental in enhancing geographic learning. His collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency to create a Zombie Outbreak/Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Simulation showcases his innovative approach to teaching. This project not only teaches students practical GIS skills but also demonstrates the real-world applications of geography in emergency situations.

This award is named for Dr. James B. Binko, a lifelong advocate for geography education. Spanning more than 50 years, his career included work as a Maryland public schoolteacher, an education professor and dean of the College of Education at Towson University, and an educational consultant for the National Geographic Society.