A Bermudian teacher at a Maryland school got a Thanksgiving surprise last week when he was honoured for brightening the days of young people and colleagues alike.

Kimandi Binns, assistant principal at Wicomico Middle School, walked into the school’s media room to cheers from students, staff and education board officials, and was given the “Sunshine Award” for his positive influence at the school.

The former North Village football star said he was taken aback by the welcome — until, as applause subsided, he was told of his award.

He said November 26 had started out busy as usual.

The principal told him and other staff that they were having a meeting but left the room as they waited. He then called him by radio to the media centre.

Mr Binns ran upstairs to the surprise.

He recalled: “People were there from the board of education, children were cheering and then I looked over the room and I saw my wife, and I’m like ‘what in the world is she doing here?’”

The presence of his wife, an assistant principal at another school, made him realise that the event was for him.

Still mystified, Mr Binns was treated to a “superhero” song, with lyrics praising the beloved teacher’s efforts.

County officials then informed him it was being streamed live on Facebook.

They explained that they wanted to show more appreciation to educators and decided to start with the first Sunshine Award.

He said: “The Sunshine Award is one where they choose someone from the county that they feel exhibit a positive, loving and kind behaviour that brings up the spirits of not only students but the staff.”

Mr Binns added: “They got me by surprise, because I am not of those people that does stuff for affirmation or accolades, because that’s how I was brought up.

“My dad, who passed away three years ago — that was one of the things he was known for and he passed that on to me.

“What happened that Tuesday was one of the nicest things that ever happened to me.”

He was told by Aaron Deal, instructional supervisor at Wicomico County Board of Education: “This whole morning is about you.”

Mr Deal said a team had been searching for individuals who buoyed other people’s spirits — and he noticed Mr Binns’s name consistently coming up.

With Mr Binns seated next to him, Mr Deal said: “You go the extra mile and we know that your life is not always rosy but you sure lift up other people.

“You keep that same smile and you do it in such a stylish way.”

Mr Binns, who enjoyed a sterling football career at North Village, also represented Bermuda on the international stage, including the 1993 Pan American Games.

He has spent 26 years in education, including his early days at West Pembroke Primary School, where he spent five years as a special-education teacher.

He moved with his family to the United States in 2004. He started working at Mardela Middle High School in Maryland, where he was assistant coach and then head coach of the football team.

He switched to administration eight years ago, serving in management roles at the elementary level at schools in the county.

This year, he was appointed assistant principal at Wicomico Middle School.

“My first love is the secondary,” he said. “I love the teenagers, I love working with them.”

He said he thrived on building good relationships with his students and kept up with fashion trends to relate with them.

He explained: “When I go to work, I wear a pair of Jordan shoes and the children sometimes ask, what kind of principal wears Jordans, but they love it and I connect with them.

“I have a saying that goes, reach them before you teach them, because if they know you genuinely care about them, they will respect you more.”

Mr Binns said he always gave his best, adding: “By me showing love and kindness, I’m actually showing an example of God.

“I just do my best every single day to show love and kindness to the staff and I guess in a sense people were noticing and it paid off.”

Mr Binns said his wife and family, including his mother in Bermuda, were all excited about his honour.

He added: “Even today, people at work were talking about it and it is such a good feeling.”