Awards

SaskOutdoors awards are presented every year. If you know of an individual or organization that has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to outdoor and environmental education in Saskatchewan, consider nominating them for one of SaskOutdoors' awards.

Cydney Weir Award For Youth Environmental Leadership

The Cydney Weir Award for Youth Environmental Leadership was established in 2014 to honour Cydney, a passionate environmental leader who was active in Embers, Guides, Pathfinders, and Rangers, as well as Trek School, the Sheldon Collegiate Outdoor Club, and was enrolled in Environmental Sciences at the University of Regina. Cydney once said, “I think that people living in Saskatchewan don’t really understand or take advantage of what the province we live in is giving us with it being so diverse in wildlife; lots of people don’t even know it’s out there.” It is with this spirit that we recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people who are working for the protection of our shared planet and who “understand and take advantage” of the natural places in our province.

READ STORIES FROM PAST RECIPIENTS

Eligibility

Youth environmental leaders ages 13 to 19 living in Saskatchewan
The youth should demonstrate some of the following characteristics:
- Passionate about conserving nature
- Experience backpacking, skiing, building fires, hiking, canoeing, etc.
- Shows potential and interest in pursuing environmental studies or a related field in their future
- Shows commitment to taking action to conserve natural ecosystems and habitat for wild animals
- Interest in working with young children to teach them about the environment
- A love of swimming and canoeing and a general love of water
- An excitement for wildlife photography

Details

The award recipient will receive a Lifetime membership to SaskOutdoors which offers: a subscription to Of Land & Living Skies: A Community Journal on Place, Land and Learning, discounts on outdoor camping and recreation events, opportunities to apply for grants, subscription to newsletters, and much more! The recipient will also receive a backpack that can be used on multi day backpacking trips.

Nomination/to Apply

Provide a statement fully describing the contribution, passion and achievement of the nominee complete with documents, such as newspaper clippings or photographs if desired. Nominations close March 1, 2023. Nominations can be submitted through the form here. Any inquiries can be emailed to info@saskoutdoors.org

Past Winners

2023 - Sophia Young

2022 - Elsa Gaupe

Honourable Mention: Emily Matisho

2021 - Elisabeth Walker

2020 - Ivan Thompson

2019 - Elan Marsall

2018 - Mary-Grace Hardy

2017 - Alana Krug-Macleod

2016 - Ryan Poelzer

2015 - Sky Ann Stinson

Bernadine Marie Melanson Award

The Bernadine Marie Melanson Award was set up in her memory to be presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to outdoor and environmental education in Saskatchewan.
It is hoped that the award will allow us to remember and carry forward the work in which she was vitally interested. What kind of work? Professor Bernie Melanson’s career sparkled with teaching expertise, innovative approaches, research skills, and an awareness of the human being matched by few educators in this province. Her interests and contributions spanned many areas: Science, Science Education, Outdoor Education, Teacher Education and methods of In-Service Education. She was active in a broad range of university affairs. She was concerned with skills, knowledge and attitudes of teachers and she was dedicated to the proposition that the best education possible should be provided by the child. Bernie was an energetic member of the Saskatchewan Outdoor Education Association, now known as SaskOutdoors.

READ STORIES FROM PAST RECIPIENTS

Eligibility

This is a lifetime achievement award! The recipients of this award should embody some or all of these criteria:

Appreciate outdoor spaces in Saskatchewan and share this appreciation with others (either formally as an outdoor educator or informally).
Be an active participant in outdoor environmental education in Saskatchewan.
Make outdoor education in Saskatchewan more accessible.
Be an ambassador and share outdoor values.

Details

The award recipient will receive a Lifetime membership to SaskOutdoors which offers:

A subscription to Of Land & Living Skies: A Community Journal on Place, Land, and Learning
Discounts on outdoor camping and recreation
Events
Opportunities to apply for funding
And much more!

Nomination/to Apply

Posthumous nominations are permitted.

No self-nominations.

The nominee does not have to be a member of SaskOutdoors.

The nominator will provide a statement fully describing the contributions and achievements of the nominee complete with documents, such as newspaper clipping or photographs if desired. Pertinent biographical data should be stated briefly.

Nominations close March 1, 2023. Nominations can be submitted through the form here. Any inquiries can be emailed to info@saskoutdoors.org