The Estuary Partnership is pleased to announce Corlee Frederick as our 2023 Steward of the Year.
Corlee Frederick
Educator
From the beginning, she recognized the importance of outdoor learning to ignite a spark in young students. As a first-year teacher, when it was too difficult to get her kindergarten students out to explore the tidepools, she brought the tidepools to them in the form of a tank of aquatic creatures her students could explore. After student teaching, she and her husband moved to Rainier, where Corlee taught until her retirement in 2022.
As an educator, Corlee is always looking for the way to turn on a light within each student, and she says that often the best place for that to happen is when they get outdoors.
Over her career, Corlee worked with students of all ages, and has always been a strong proponent of teaching environmental literacy and outdoor lessons. When a group of teachers wanted to use the creek running through the elementary playground as an outdoor classroom, Corlee wrote the curriculum for K-1st graders. She was an active participant in the local Educational Service District’s STEM group, inspiring them to focus on the learning opportunities nature around campus provides, including several ponds where students can take water samples, among other activities. She also spearheaded an effort to restore a walking path along Rainier's campus, with students of all grades participating hands-on in the process. Corlee also developed a virtual nature and history map of the campus, with support from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde to include the area’s Tribal history.
Though she retired from teaching last year, she continues to stay involved as an outdoor education champion in Rainier, acting as a volunteer field trip chaperone and advocating for nature-based education.
Corlee holds an A.A. from Olympic Community College, a B.A. in Education from Central Washington University, a Master of Education from Seattle Pacific University, and has earned more than 75 additional credits beyond her master’s degree.
Past Stewards of the Year:
2022: Dave Pinkernell, Columbia Gorge Refuge Stewards and Camas-Washougal Community Chest
Rudy Salakory, Cowlitz Indian Tribe
2019: Lee Ellen Gilronan, Teacher
2018: Charity Powell, Teacher
2017: Patrick Lee, Clark County Public Works
2016: Dave Ripp, Executive Director, Port of Camas-Washougal
2015: Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Founders
2014: Hillary Barbour, Office of US Congressman Earl Blumenauer
2013: The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
2012: The Honorable Joan Dukes, Northwest Power & Conservation Council
Louise Solliday, Oregon State Government
2011: Amy Borde, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lyndal Johnson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Jennifer Morace, US Geological Survey
2010: The Honorable Jeff Merkley, US Senate
The Honorable Earl Blumenauer, US House of Representatives
2009: Susan Holveck, Beaverton School District
2007: Alice Ott Middle School students, teachers, and principal
Girls Scouts of the Columbia River Council
2006: Jeff Rooklidge & Wahkiakum High School students, Wahkiakum High School
2005: Wilson Cady, Georgia-Pacific
2002: Louise Solliday, Office of Governor Kitzhaber
2001: Terry Hussman, Washington Department of Ecology (posthumous)
About the Award
Restoring and protecting the lower Columbia River and Estuary requires the efforts of many people and groups. We recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication it takes to protect and restore the river with our Steward of the Year Award.
The annual award, instituted in 2001 and presented during our Annual Dinner & Gala, recognizes exceptional stewardship by a group, entity, organization, business, government agency, or individual towards the restoration and protection of the lower Columbia River and Estuary.
Stewards of the Year represent any sector of the community and any area of focus of the Estuary Partnership: habitat protection, water quality, land conservation and protection, education and community engagement, or leadership. These recipients have all demonstrated this outstanding stewardship and commitment to the protection and conservation of the lower Columbia River.