Schedule and Program
Plan your conference experience and make the most of every learning and connection opportunity.
This year’s NCGE Annual Conference schedule is packed with opportunities designed to fit busy educators’ lives while delivering maximum impact.
Over the course of this 3-day, long-weekend event, you’ll connect with geography teachers, professionals, and colleagues from across the country; attend engaging, geography education focused sessions that will expand your professional learning; and discover the newest tools, resources, and ideas to bring back to your classroom and share with peers. From hands-on workshops to thought-provoking presentations, the schedule is built to inspire, equip, and energize you for the year ahead.
(Pre-Conference)
Thursday, October 15th
LOCATION: Sine’ Irish Pub | 1327 East Cary St., Richmond, VA.
Dinner will be served at 6:00pm.
Friday, October 16th
Registration and check-in table is located at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in the Common Wealth Hall.
NCGE staff and volunteers will be available to assist you with obtaining your conference pass/badge and answer questions.
Explore the geography and culture of Richmond, Virginia through exciting field trips coordinated by the Virginia Geographic Alliance, offering informative and enjoyable excursions that will help you take full advantage of everything Richmond and the surrounding area has to offer. Pre-registration and Full Details Coming Soon!
The GENIP Coordinating Committee of four national geography organizations (Association of American Geographers, American Geographical Society, National Council for Geographic Education, and National Geographic Society) will meet to collaborate on issues, initiatives, projects, and activities related to advancing K-12 geography education.
LOCATION: TBD
This year’s sponsors and exhibitors will be available to share the latest in geography education tools. Tables will be located in the Common Wealth Hall of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Please stop by to learn about all they have to offer.
More than 60 professional development sessions/workshops will be led by geography researchers, and experienced educators. They will share practical ideas and resources that can be applied in the classroom. Detailed list of all workshops and sessions available Here.
We invite you to join us for the welcome address from NCGE President, Celeste Reynolds, and to celebrate NCGE 2026 Award Recipients.
Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served at 5:30 pm with the Awards Ceremony beginning at 6:00 pm. in the Robins Family Forum Theater.
We are excited to announce that this year NCGE has partnered with National Geographic Learning – Cengage School to offer the APHG Distinguished Teacher Award.
Main Floor – Palms Ballroom
Richmond, VA offers a vibrant mix of history, culture, dining, and nightlife. The Courtyard by Marriott Richmond Downtown is ideally situated in an area that is within walking distance of numerous dining and shopping, the Virginia State Capitol, and the Virginia Capital Trail.
Stay Tuned – VGA is currently developing self-guided StoryMaps that will help you take full advantage of everything Richmond has to offer.
Saturday, October 17th
We are pleased to inform all attendees that a “Grab-n- Go” continental style breakfast will be provided for your convenience. This breakfast option will offer a selection of light and delicious morning fare to help you start your day right. Enjoy a variety of muffins & pastries, seasonal fruit, and beverages to fuel up before the day’s events. We look forward to serving you a delightful kickstart to your day.
Location: Common Wealth Hall.
This year’s sponsors and exhibitors will be available to share the latest in geography education tools. Tables will be located in the Common Wealth Hall area. Please stop by to learn about all of they have to offer.
More than 60 professional development sessions/workshops will be led by geography researchers, and experienced educators. They will share practical ideas and resources that can be applied in the classroom. Click here for a detailed list of morning sessions .
The Geospatial Room offers a full day of sessions dedicated to bringing the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into today’s classrooms. Designed for geography educators at all levels, these sessions will showcase innovative tools, instructional strategies, and real-world applications that help students analyze patterns, solve problems, and better understand our changing world through a geographic lens.
Join fellow educators and geospatial experts to explore hands-on resources, classroom-ready ideas, and new ways to inspire the next generation of spatial thinkers.
Location: Halsey Family Hall
NCGE President, Celeste Reynolds invites you to attend Partnering for Impact: Bringing Geography to Life for Students
This session will explore how students can apply geographic thinking to real-world contexts. Panelists will share how these opportunities foster students’ ability to think geographically while engaging in meaningful service-learning experiences. By contributing to civic, humanitarian, and community-based projects, students develop a deeper sense of responsibility to both their local communities and the broader world. This work reinforces the relevance of geography and empowers students to see themselves as active, informed participants in society.
Panelists:
- OpenStreetMap US – Maggie Cawley
- American Geographical Society / TeenMaptivists – Marie Price
- GISetc – Anita Palmer
- YouthMappers – Daniel Niren
LOCATION: Robins Family Forum Theater.
Take a break to enjoy lunch and explore the beautiful surroundings of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Boxed lunches will be available in the Common Wealth Hall from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
During this time, attendees are encouraged to visit the museum galleries, enjoy the museum grounds, connect with colleagues, and exhibitors, or simply relax before the afternoon sessions begin
Join us for an engaging keynote presentation by Dr. Johnny Finn, who will reflect on a decade of community-engaged geography, showing how maps and spatial analysis can shape public debate, inform journalism, support civil rights litigation, and empower environmental justice movements. Finn will draw on many field-based collaborations with K-12 teachers, he also will demonstrate some of the ways that community geography can be translated into classroom practice, arguing that geography is not just something we teach, but something we do. And as such, geography becomes something our students can use to understand and transform the world around them.
Dr. Finn is a nationally recognized geographer, educator, and public scholar whose work explores the connections between people, place, and community.
Learn more about Dr. Finn and his keynote presentation.
LOCATION: Robins Family Forum Theater
More than 60 professional development sessions/workshops will be led by geography researchers, and experienced educators. They will share practical ideas and resources that can be applied in the classroom. Click here for a complete detailed list of sessions
The National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) will come together at this year’s Annual Conference in Richmond to remember and honor the life, scholarship, and lasting contributions of Professor Emerita Sarah Witham Bednarz.
Sarah was a tremendous leader in geographic education whose work has influenced generations of geography educators and scholars. Her commitment to geographic education, research, and the broader geography community has left an enduring legacy that we will carry forward.
NCGE will recognize Sarah during the Awards Ceremony on Friday evening, October 16, and will host a special session on Saturday afternoon, October 17, providing an opportunity for colleagues, friends, former students, and members of the geography education community to share memories and reflections.
The special session will take place prior to the Saturday evening reception and will offer a time for our community to come together, celebrate Sarah’s contributions, and remember the many ways she touched our profession and our lives.
We invite all conference attendees who knew Sarah, worked with her, learned from her, or were inspired by her work to join us as we remember and celebrate her remarkable legacy.
Location: Robins Family Theater
Join NCGE for this year’s Sponsor & Exhibitor Networking Reception and Geography Trivia. Connect with fellow educators, presenters, sponsors, exhibitors, and geography professionals in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Enjoy friendly competition during Geography Trivia, hosted by iScore5, expand your professional network, exchange ideas, and discover new resources from our conference partners.
A light-fare with Hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary bar will be provided, making this the perfect way to conclude the day while celebrating the geography education community.
Location: Halsey Family Hall
Richmond, VA offers a vibrant mix of history, culture, dining, and nightlife. The Courtyard by Marriott Richmond Downtown is ideally situated in an area that is within walking distance of numerous dining and shopping, the Virginia State Capitol, and the Virginia Capital Trail.
Stay Tuned – VGA is currently developing self-guided StoryMaps that will help you take full advantage of everything Richmond has to offer.
Sunday, October 18th
Join us Sunday morning for NCGE’s State of the Council as we reflect on the past year, celebrate our accomplishments, and look ahead to the future of geography education. Hear from outgoing President Celeste Reynolds, learn the results of the Board of Directors election, and welcome our incoming President, John Scott Greene. Discover opportunities to get involved, share your ideas, and help shape the future of NCGE through collaborative roundtable discussions.
A breakfast buffet will be provided.
Location: Halsey Family Hall
Whether you are able to attend a small portion or the full session, NCGE’s leadership invites you to finish the conference with a flourish. Join in a conversation with colleagues to imagine how individuals, schools, local partnerships, state organizations, and the NCGE itself can use our assets and ideas to raise the profile of geography education, connect with more educators and students, and achieve shared goals.
Full schedule of activities:
- 10:00 am – 10:45 am: Get involved in the work of the council Part 1. Hosted roundtable conversations aligned with the work groups (APHG, Geospatial, and Partners)
- 10:45 am – 11:00 am: A quick break and opportunity to walk the gallery to foster ideas.
- 11:00 am – 11:30 am: Hosted roundtable conversations aligned with sustainability issues such as membership growth, fundraising, and advocacy work.
- 11:30 am – 11:45 am: Break time and opportunity to explore the gallery to generate ideas.
- 11:45 am – Noon: We will wrap up this session with any final thoughts and establish next steps.
Location: Halsey Family Hall
Thank you to our Sponsors
