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CPW Honors Hunter Education Instructors of the Year for Dedication to Safe, Ethical Hunting in Colorado
Description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife has recognized the Hunter Education Instructors of the Year, celebrating their passion, dedication, and commitment to teaching safe, ethical hunting practices across the state. These volunteer instructors go above and beyond—mentoring, inspiring, and shaping the next generation of hunters while fostering respect for wildlife and conservation.
CPW announces Hunter Education Instructors of the Year, recognizing their passion and dedication to educating generations of safe and ethical hunters
DENVER — Hunter education plays a vital role in ensuring that hunting remains safe, ethical, and sustainable. At the heart of this effort are the dedicated instructors who volunteer their time to teach, mentor, and inspire the next generation of hunters. These instructors do more than explain regulations and safety—they serve as role models, instilling responsibility, conservation values, and respect for wildlife and the outdoors. Their commitment creates safer hunting experiences, fosters ethical traditions, and strengthens community ties.
“Hunter education instructors are vitally important for CPW to establish a safe and ethical base of hunters in Colorado,” said CPW Statewide Hunter Education Coordinator Jordan Likes. “We are blessed to have so many instructors that are welcoming, knowledgeable, passionate and dedicated to ensuring that every student leaves the classroom prepared to be a safe, ethical and responsible hunter. Without their tireless efforts, we could not meet the needs of our communities or pass along the values of conservation and respect for wildlife to future generations. We are deeply grateful for the time and energy these instructors give, and we thank them for the tremendous impact they continue to make across Colorado.”
To honor these contributions, CPW proudly recognizes our outstanding hunter education instructors and celebrates the recipients of this year’s Instructor of the Year awards, whose passion and dedication continue to shape the future of hunting.
Statewide Instructor of the Year - Martin Trujillo
CPW is proud to announce Martin “Marty” Trujillo as the 2024 Statewide Hunter Education Instructor of the Year. Trujillo, a longtime figure in the Southeast Region’s outdoor community, has made himself integral to hunter education and hunter outreach in Colorado—bringing unmatched energy, expertise, and commitment to the next generation of hunters.
Trujillo has served as a lead hunter education instructor for nearly a decade, making a unique and memorable impact on thousands of people. In 2024 alone, he hosted 10 hunter education classes and personally reached 578 students. Whether teaching at local classrooms or leading large sessions at SCHEELS, Trujillo’s classes are known for being energetic, engaging, and unforgettable. He’s the kind of instructor whose voice students still recognize—and remember—years after attending his class.
“Marty has a unique way of connecting with students of all ages,” Likes said. “Marty creates very engaging, thorough, and informative classes that are also fun for everyone who attends them. He goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone feels welcome in his classes and is passionate about sharing his love of hunting with the next generation.”
Trujillo leads with discipline, compassion, and an unwavering belief in the value of active wildlife management through regulated hunting. His tireless commitment to safe, ethical hunting and his ability to inspire and uplift those around him make him the embodiment of what a hunter education instructor should be.
Southeast Region Instructors of the Year - Leonard Moore Jr., Robert Scheid and Brad Miller
Sometimes, a team of volunteer instructors is so passionate and so dedicated to teaching that it makes it quite difficult to select just one individual. CPW selected three impressive volunteers to each receive the Southeast Region Hunter Education Instructor of the Year award for 2024. Leonard
Moore Jr., Robert Scheid and Brad Miller, all based out of Pueblo, were recognized for their contributions to the hunter education program in the Southeast Region in 2024.
Moore, Schied and Miller were nominated by Gretchen Holschuh, district wildlife manager for the Pueblo West district. “Leonard, Bob and Brad have really gone above and beyond down here in Pueblo,” Officer Holschuh said. “They’ve really turned the Pueblo Hunter Education programs into one that is interactive, and have received great feedback from their many students. This team is playing a vital role in providing good quality Hunter Education classes for their local community and work diligently towards ensuring that their classes are fun, informative and very interactive, helping ensure that the students leave the class having learned how to be safe, ethical and legal hunters.”
Southwest Region Instructors of the Year - Brent Curtice and Rick Oberheu
Southwest Region Volunteer Hunter Education Instructors Brent Curtice and Rick Oberheu both excelled in their efforts to provide hunter education classes in Delta County last year. As recognition for their extraordinary work, the pair were both selected to receive Southwest Region Instructor of the Year Awards.
“Brent and Rick are the epitome of what we look for in a volunteer Hunter Education Instructor: welcoming, knowledgeable, passionate, supportive, motivating and engaging,” Likes said. “Without their help, the hunter education program would not be able to meet the needs of the Delta community. They are a significant asset for us and I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts. Brent and Rick ensure that they bring the best efforts to their classes by passing along all of their passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge to students through professional, supportive and welcoming classes.”
Northeast Region Instructor of the Year - Vicki Vargas-Madrid
CPW selected Vicki Vargas-Madrid – who demonstrated an exceptional ability to connect with students and make them feel welcomed in her hunter education classes – as the much-deserved Northeast Region Instructor of the Year in 2024. With the help of her team of fellow volunteer hunter education instructors, Vargas-Madrid held a remarkable number of hunter education courses and was able to certify over 640 students in 2024.
“Vargas-Madrid is what we want our instructors to strive to be,” Likes said. “She is welcoming, encouraging, passionate, knowledgeable and engaging and also a staunch advocate for wildlife, hunting, and education. Like all hunter education instructors, she serves a vital role in helping CPW achieve its mission to protect our natural resources and educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources.”
Northwest Region Instructor of the Year - Casey Sullivan
Casey Sullivan, a social studies teacher at Fruita Middle School, was selected to receive the Northwest Region Instructor of the Year award for 2024. Mr. Sullivan provided his students with a hunter education class as part of their school learning, allowing for the students to go more in-depth with the material than a normal class.
“Casey is dedicated to ensuring that his students are prepared and ready to get out into the field when they go hunting,” Likes said. “He realizes the role that hunting plays in wildlife management and works diligently to ensure that his students are aware of that. Casey is a huge asset to us, and I couldn’t think of someone more deserving of this recognition.”
Colorado’s Instructor of the Year for IHEA - Lacey Sprouse
CPW’s Hunter Education Program had the opportunity to recognize a volunteer hunter education instructor at the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA-USA) Annual Conference, held in Georgia, as part of their 50 for 50 campaign. CPW selected Lacey Sprouse, a volunteer hunter education instructor based out of the Colorado Springs area, to receive this award. Despite only recently joining the Hunter Education Program, Sprouse has poured her passion, enthusiasm and dedication into her classes.
“Lacey is a phenomenal volunteer and an immensely passionate instructor,” Likes said. “Lacey has a knack for creating a warm and welcoming environment and getting her students as enthused about wildlife conservation, hunting, and the outdoors. She is a vocal advocate for the use of non-lead ammunition and for people taking that leap into hunting, regardless of their age.”
As a former Military Police Staff Sergeant and Drill Sergeant in the US Army, Lacey carries that dedication and professionalism from her military career into her classroom. Always willing to learn and help others learn, Sprouse is an outstanding resource for CPW.
The IHEA is a non-profit organization that represents the professional hunter education personnel and volunteer instructors across the nation that teach hunters to be safe, ethical and legal when they are in their field. The 50 for 50 Initiative started in 2021, the 50th Anniversary of IHEA-USA, and focuses on recognizing volunteer hunter education instructors who excelled during the year, often going above and beyond in their volunteering efforts with getting new hunters involved in hunting while maintaining welcoming and encouraging classes.
Hunter Education Classes in Colorado
Hunter education extends beyond hunters, serving as a valuable program for outdoor enthusiasts with an interest in conservation. Classes offer hunters lessons in: safety, legality, responsibility, ethical hunting conduct, wildlife management and identification, laws and regulations, and firearms safety and handling.
Additional information about class options, accommodations and becoming an instructor are available at cpw.state.co.us/hunting/education-outreach.
