Award Nominations are now open!
Nominations must be made online.
COEO depends upon members stepping forward to carry out the mandate of the organization. Our annual awards provide an important opportunity to recognize individual and group efforts, as well as to celebrate the many and varied expressions of outdoor education within our organization and the province of Ontario.
There are six awards that may be presented yearly, all of which have their own particular significance:
The Amethyst Award, in memory of Brent Dysart is presented to an emerging professional new to the field of outdoor education. This award recognizes individual potential in those beginning a career. The recipient of the Amethyst Award receives a complimentary one-year membership to COEO and free admittance to the annual fall conference.
Former recipients of this award include:
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2006 Stacey Hislop
2009 Wes Onofrio 2012 Kelly McKinney 2015 Jenna Livingston
2018 Alexis Pownall
2023 Sarah Gunnell
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2007 Pamela Depooter
2010 No award given
2013 Petra Eperjesi
2016 Andrew MacDonald
2019 Shanshan Tian
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2008 Amber Robinson
2011 Heather Andrachuk 2014 Christopher Walker
2017 Brooke Jones
2022 Jennifer Oelschlagel
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The President’s Award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of COEO and to outdoor education in Ontario. This award identifies an active outdoor educator who has volunteered their time to our organization through their participation on the Board of Directors, editorial support of Pathways, conference organization or other similar contribution.
Former recipients of this award include:
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1979 Jim Coats
1982 Lloyd Fraser 1985 Brent Dysart 1988 Dennis Hitchmough 1991 Bob Henderson 1993 No award given 1996 Gina Bernabei 1999 Glen Hester 2002 Mary Gyemi-Schulze 2005 Patti Huber 2008 Pam Miller 2011 Shane Kramer
2014 Deborah Diebel
2017 Doug Jacques
2022 Liz Kirk/Minka Chambers
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1980 Dorothy Walter
1983 Clarke Birchard 1986 Barrie Martin 1989 Jan Stewart 1992 John Aikman 1994 Margit McNaughton 1997 Ian Hendry 2000 Jim Gear 2003 No award given 2006 Zabe MacEachern 2009 Grant Linney
2012 Scott Caspell
2015 Bill Schoenhardt
2018 Karen O’Krafka
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1981 Bob Houston
1984 Alice Casselman 1987 Sue Brown 1990 Mark Whitcombe 1992 Lloyd Fraser 1995 Linda McKenzie 1998 John Etches 2001 Bonnie Anderson 2004 Clare Magee 2007 Barb McKean 2010 Kathy Haras
2013 Ron Williamson
2016 Randee Holmes
2019 Natalie Kemp
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(NEW!) The Doug Jacques Award for Inclusion was created in 2024 in memory of Doug “Duck” Jacques, an advocate for inclusive outdoor education. Doug was a long-time COEO member, outdoor educator at the Bronte Creek Project, and founder of the Trailhead Program in Halton District School Board. He helped lead COEO to prioritize strengthening Indigenous relationships and an overall more inclusive approach as an organization. This award recognizes an individual or organization/program that has made outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of diversity, inclusion, and access to meaningful experiences in outdoor education in Ontario. This person or organization has amplified underrepresented voices and perspectives and has supported equitable access to outdoor experiences within COEO and/or they have endeavoured to create organizational and cultural change within outdoor education in Ontario as a whole. This award is open to non-members of COEO. The recipient of this award receives a complimentary one-year membership to COEO and free admittance to the annual fall conference.
The Dorothy Walter Award for Leadership was created in 1986 to give recognition to an individual who, like Dorothy Walter herself, has shown an outstanding commitment to the development of leadership qualities in Ontario youth and through outdoor education.
Former recipients of this award include:
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1986 Dorothy Walter
1989 Jim Smithers 1992 Grant Linney 1995 Mary Jean Barrett 1998 Bob Henderson 2001 Bert Horwood 2004 Mike Elrick 2007 Peter Goddard 2010 Katie Gad
2013 Doug Jacques
2016 Paul Gifford
2019 Brent Evans
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1987 Ginny Moor
1990 Jerry Jordison 1993 No award given 1996 Rob Heming 1999 Linda Leckie 2002 Grant Linney 2005 Bruce Murphy 2008 Ron Casier 2011 Tim O’Connell
2014 Tammy Hand
2017 Pam Miller
2023 Jen Dundas
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1988 Clare Magee
1991 No award given 1994 Cathy Beach 1997 James Raffan 2000 Alice Casselman 2003 No award given 2006 Barb Weeden-Carmichael 2009 Walter Sepic
2012 Martha Webber
2015 Bonnie Anderson
2018 Tobin Day
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The Honourary Life Membership Award recognizes the substantial and lasting contributions of long-time and esteemed members of COEO who are a vital part of its traditions and successes. Candidates for this award should meet the following criteria: 10 or more years of distinguished service in the field of outdoor education, held leadership positions within COEO for several years, nominated by three COEO members.
Former recipients of this award include:
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1980 Bud Wiener
1984 Lloyd Fraser 1988 Harris Gibson 1992 Rod Ferguson 2000 Bob Henderson 2012 Alice Casselman
2017 Grant Linney
2022 Bonnie Anderson
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1981 John Aikman
1985 Clarke Birchard 1990 Ralph Ingleton 1994 Chuck Hopkins 2004 Bert Horwood 2013 Jim Gear
2018 Brian Lisson
2023 Pam Miller
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1983 Dorothy Walter
1986 Jan Stewart 1991 Audrey Wilson 1999 Mark Whitcombe 2005 Glen Hester 2016 Kyle Clarke
2019 Walt Sepic
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The Robin Dennis Award was created in tribute to Robin Dennis, one of the founders of Ontario outdoor education in the 1950s and 1960s. It is presented to an individual, outdoor education program or facility that has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and development of outdoor education in the province. This award is open to non-members of COEO and the person making the nomination can also be a non-member of COEO.
Former recipients of this award include:
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1976 Murray Finn
1978 Ron Frenette 1980 Bob Pieh 1982 Bill Andrews 1984 Jean Wansborough 1986 Chuck Hopkins 1988 Rod Ferguson 1990 Cathy Beach 1992 Joan Thompson 1994 Frank Glew 1996 Outdoor Ed., Etobicoke Board 1998 Mark Whitcombe 2000 Skid Crease 2002 TOES, Toronto District School Bd (TDSB) 2004 The Institute for Outdoor Education and Environmental Studies, The Bluewater District School Board 2006 The Toronto Urban Studies Centre, TDSB
2008 Diane Beckett, Ottawa parent
Jane Veit, Toronto parent
2010 Peel District School Board Field Centres
2012 Marlene Power
2014 Grant Linney
2016 EcoSpark
2018 Peter Rasberry
2022 Bill Elgie
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1977 Toronto Island Natural Science School
1979 Ralph Ingleton 1981 Jack Passmore 1983 Audrey Wilson 1985 Leslie M. Frost Natural Resources Centre 1987 Outdoor Ed., North York Board of Education 1989 Queen’s OEE Program 1991 No award given 1993 No award given 1995 Bert Horwood 1997 Seneca College Outdoor Recreation Technician Co-op Program 1999 Camp Tawingo 2001 Kortright Centre for Conservation 2003 No award given 2005 Bronte Creek Project, Halton District School Board 2007 Bill Mason and MacSkimming Oudoor Education Centres, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board 2009 Clare Magee
2011 Brian Lisson
2013 Bob Henderson for the
McMaster University OEE Programs
2015 Andrew McMartin
2017 Royal Botanical Gardens
2019 Bonnie Anderson
2023 Barrie Martin
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Want to make a nomination?
Everyone is encouraged to put forward the names of deserving candidates for these awards. Nominations should include the following:
- Name and contact information for nominator
- Name and contact information for nominee
- Award category
- Summary of achievements related to award criteria.
The President’s Award, Honorary Life Membership Award and Dorothy Walter Award for Leadership are all for the recognition of COEO members. The person nominating must also be a member of COEO.
The Doug Jacques Award for Inclusion and the Robin Dennis Award is open to non-members of COEO. The person nominating can also be a non-member of COEO.
COEO Awards Nomination Forms are available here.