A New Brunswick teacher with a love for geography is getting national recognition for his excellence in teaching.

Moncton High’s Zachary Vantournout has been a favourite of students for some years.

“I like to use a lot of stories. The idea of the story makes it a little more personal and humour, I try to keep it light,” says Vantournout.

That approach has helped him connect with his students.

“He really makes it personal,” says student Mary Lynn Thomas. “He relates it to some of his experiences in life or he'll try and relate it to things that are happening currently in the world.”

Some Vantournout’s life experiences came as a soldier in the Canadian Forces. He served in Kosovo and Afghanistan, earning a medal of bravery.

Now, Vantournout has earned another award – the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's 2015 Geographic Literacy Award, given for efforts to advance geography education in Canada.

“I value process over product,” says Vantournout. “What do they do along the way? How are they doing their job? And then, if everyone is held accountable through peer and self-evaluations and they're being reflected in the way they work, then in the end the product is going to be phenomenal.”

His approach goes a long way with the students.

“He goes out of his way to, not just give us notes and sit there and do classwork, he talks to us and he really teaches us in a way no other teacher teaches. He asks us questions and he just makes it fun,” says student Vanessa Abbott.

Vantournout says at the end of the day he hopes his students can use the lessons he's taught, not only inside the classroom, but in the real world.

“I don't want to be the sage on the stage, you know, this pontificator of mass destruction. I want them to become lifelong learners and go out and find that information for themselves, become critical thinkers,” says Vantournout.

Vantournout's recognition comes with a cheque for $2,500. He's keeping half and donating the rest to the Atlantic Wildlife Institute in Cookeville, N.B., where the money will be used to enhance the organizations current programs.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis