Justin LaBar

STANLEY – The North Dakota Geographic Alliance has announced Stanley fourth-grade teacher Justin LaBar as its 2025 Geography Teacher of the Year.

According to information from the alliance, LaBar graduated from Tioga High School and received an associate’s degree from Williston State College. He attended Minot State University and graduated from Mayville State University. During his senior year at Mayville State, LaBar received the Dr. Nannette Bagstad Outstanding Achievement Award, which recognizes students who have completed a degree in elementary education or early childhood education while working full-time, raising a family or residing in a rural area.

LaBar also drives bus for the Stanley school district, enjoys hunting and is a hobby taxidermist. He and his wife, Olivia, are the parents of 11 children.

The North Dakota Geographic Alliance was established in 1991 and has a membership of more than 700 educators and stakeholders. It is a statewide partnership between university-based learning and K-12 classrooms. The alliance provides educators with professional development and training opportunities along with resources necessary for more effective geographic learning.

The mission of the NDGA is to promote an effective presence of geography in the curriculum that equips North Dakota students with the geographic knowledge and skills to become productive global citizens and problem solvers in the interconnected world. This is true of Mr. LaBar’s classroom, the NDGA stated. The alliance stated it selected LaBar for its award because his classroom models its mission, and he clearly understands the importance of attaining geographic literacy as related to the future of North Dakota.