Annual IMPACT Awards

Environmental Educator Instructor of the Year Award
This award recognizes an outstanding instructor in a direct teaching role in the field of outdoor and environmental education.

Program Leader of the Year Award
This award recognizes an outstanding program leader in a management position (such as a coordinator, manager, or director) in the field of outdoor and environmental education. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award – created in honor of Howard Bell, one of AEOE's founding members and an influential leader in the advancement of outdoor education in California – was established to recognize outstanding lifetime achievements and contributions in the area of environmental and outdoor education. 

Organization of the Year Award 

AEOE, in partnership with Ten Strands and the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), is pleased to offer the Environmental Education Organization of the Year Award. This award recognizes an outstanding organization that is advancing the impact of environmental and outdoor education in California in a meaningful way. These organizations offer innovative programs, follow research-based best practices, and promote equitable access to environmental learning. 

AEOE's award winner are recognized at the annual Statewide Conference. Please help us celebrate the incredible individuals and organizations working to advance our field by sharing these opportunities and submitting a nomination. Past honorees and instructions for submitting a nomination can be viewed by clicking the links above. Nomination deadline: December 1.