She's been teaching for more than 34 years, every one of them in Wareham. And last week, the Plymouth County Education Association awarded Nancy Barry, of Minot Forest Elementary, the Loretta Quinlan Award for her professionalism and service to the association and the community.

The annual award is the highest honor that the countywide teachers' union bestows upon its members. The winner is chosen from all "Citation" award-winners, an award whose recipients are evaluated based on those same qualities.

"It was a surprise and a total honor, just to be recognized like that, and very humbling," said Barry, a third-grade teacher.

Barry received the award at a banquet on April 13. A number of Wareham school employees also received awards from the association.

Among her accomplishments, Barry has started a number of service learning projects across all grade levels at the school, including a decade-long project that coordinated visits and correspondence among third-grade students and residents of a local nursing home. She has also served as a mentor to new teachers and has published a book on her teaching experiences called "Teacher Tidbits."

In addition to recognition, Quinlan Award recipients are given $2,000 in scholarship money to award to a student in their district. "It's fabulous!," Barry said.

Barry was nominated by fellow Minot Forest teachers, retired teachers, and teachers she's worked with elsewhere in the Wareham district.

Amanda Kenefick, one of Barry's nominators and a fellow third-grade teacher at Minot Forest, said Barry is "truly deserving" of the award.

"She's just involved in lots of different areas, definitely showing her genuine care and compassion for the students of Wareham," Kenefick said. "She's a wonderful woman to work with, and she's great with the kids, very patient."

Of the past ten Quinlan Award recipients, five were Wareham Public Schools teachers.