CBEEN’s Awards of Excellence recognize environmental educators who demonstrate outstanding contributions towards encouraging environmental stewardship and sustainability in the Canadian Columbia Basin through their work in Environmental Education.

CBEEN is pleased to announce our 2016 Awards of Excellence Recipients:

Lee-Anne Walker: For her long-term commitment to environmental education in the Columbia Basin. Lee-Anne is a founding member of CBEEN, and is currently the coordinator of Know Your Watershed and the Executive Director for the Elk River Alliance.

Natasha Burgess: For her willingness to share her knowledge and her proactive support of other teachers in undertaking environmental education in their classrooms. This includes coordinating Take Me Outside Days, Earth Day activities, Green Games competitions and co-developing a “Greening the Curriculum” resource.

Leigh Cormier: Leigh is an Outdoor Ed teacher in Cranbrook who not only fosters confidence in her students through teaching them important backcountry and outdoor skills, but takes her geography classes into the field in place-based study.

Janet Kuijt: Janet is now going into her third year teaching at Fernie Secondary School is the teacher sponsor of the Leadership Program. She has been a leader in environmental education, and is on the School District 5 working group that is developing a district plan for environmental education.

Susie MacDonald: For her long-term support and passion for environmental education. Susie is a WildBC Facilitator and CBEEN’s Wild Voices for Kids Program Coordinator – a program which she expanded from one school district to the entire region and has helped to expose over 60,000 students to environmental education.

Dave Quinn: For nearly 20 years Dave has designed and delivered experiential education programs for Avalanche Canada, the Calgary Zoo, Mainstreams Environmental, Wildsight, and is an active educator for CBEEN’s Wild Voices for Kids program.

Marcy Mahr: For her experience and dedication to environmental education. Marcy is an ecologist, environmental educator and conservation strategist. She co-authored the CBT’s Environmental Education Opportunities Assessment and is on CBEEN’s Environmental Education Leadership Clinic Facilitation team.

Gillian Cooper: Gillian is the current chair and a founding member of CBEEN. She is currently a classroom teacher in SD8, and has been a Wildsight Educator of 10 years and spent 17 years as the Wetland Educational and Interpretive Manager at the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area.

Erika Momeyer: For her long-term dedication and passion as a teacher. Erika has developed the now famous ‘Walking Wednesdays’ which has evolved into a wonderful example of inquiry-based experiential environmental learning. She is also a CBEEN board member and Voices for Sustainability team member.

Shanoon Bennett: Shanoon has been a long-time environmental educator for Wild Voices for Kids, and her experience and wisdom is astounding. From winter safety programs, to medicinal native plants to pond studies Shanoon has contributed so much to the eco-literacy of students in her community.

Jackie Morris: Jackie joined CBEEN’s Board of Directors in 2015. She retired from 15 years in the position of Executive Director the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology. She is a long-time Director of Revelstoke Bear Aware and is a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee with CBT.

Laurie Frankcom: Laurie works with the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society as their Education Program Coordinator. She has only been with us for one year, but the progress she has made within our organization is astounding! Her work with communities, schools and stewardship groups has increased the profile of invasive species exponentially.

These awards will be presented at our upcoming Spring and Fall Celebrations of Environmental Education (based on geographic location of individual).