In the April issue of Parks & Recreation, we ran a feature on preparing park and recreation agencies for human threats. Danielle Taylor, associate editor explains that this article had been in the works for several months and was originally focused solely on active-shooter situations, but just before the issue went to print, the bombings at the Boston Marathon occurred. In the wake of this tragedy at an event coordinated in part by a major parks and recreation department, she quickly rethought the article and broadened the focus to other sorts of incidents that can occur in parks. In this blog post, Danielle smartly points out that park and recreation professionals must prepare for everything in an ever-changing world and offers five resources that agencies can use to help formulate plans and be prepared.     Read more

We have all had that once-in-a-lifetime professional development experience that re-energized us, taught us new skills and introduced us to amazing colleagues. Cindi Wight, Recreation Director at Rutland Recreation and Parks Department in Vermont, shares how NRPA’s Directors School did just that for her.  Read more

We’ve been bringing you lots of stories from NRPA members all across the country about Certification – from one agency in Iowa with 18 certifications under their roof, to a whole host of Certified Park and Recreation Executives telling it like it is about executive-level certification in parks and recreation. The stories just keep coming and this one written by Jason Tryon, CPRP, Operations Director/Athletic Coordinator at Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation in Charlotte, NC, touches on what pursing Certification is all about – a challenge to oneself.   Read more

Next up in the NRPA Young Professionals blog series, Aaron Feldman, Landscape Architect and Project Manager for Montgomery County Parks Department in Maryland and NRPA Young Professional Network member, offers personal perspective on taking advantage of leadership development programs for young professionals. These may be programs offered by your own agency or offered by NRPA. Aaron blogs on his personal experience with leadership training and says to those considering it, “why are you not in it?”   Read more

Second in the Professional Development blog and v-log series, Ron Strickler, CPRP, Recreation Supervisor in the Town of Ocean City, MD and Kayode Lewis, CPRP, Recreation Coordinator from Greenbelt Recreation, MD share what they personally gained from applying for and receiving the NRPA Fellowship and NRPA Diversity Scholarship in 2012. Watch the video to hear what they say their biggest takeaways are and why if you or someone you know is considering these opportunities it is time to go for it! Read more

The NRPA Young Professional Network is launching a series of blogs and video blogs (also known as vlogs or v-logs) to help shed some light on making the most of your career in parks and recreation especially for those in the early stages. In their first ever Professional Development Video Blog, young professional and Facility Manager at The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Atuya O. Cornwell interviews James Worsley, Ph.D., CPRE, Director, Columbus, GA Parks and Recreation on lessons learned from attending his first NRPA Congress as well as ways to get involved at the local and national level. If you are a young professional, or are new to the field, or hey, maybe you are a veteran and just want a refreshing take on professional development -- this vlog is for you!   Read more

PRORAGIS –NRPA’s user-driven park and recreation database and benchmarking tool—is helping park and rec pros use data to measure—measure their successes, check their weaknesses, and see how they compare to similar agencies. Last month, we chatted with the City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Department to learn more about their PRORAGIS experience. Read on to find out why Chattanooga participated, what they see as the essential value of PRORAGIS, and how it has helped them have success.  Read more

People often ask us why they should invest in becoming a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP). We tell them the truth—it shows their commitment to the field, tests their knowledge of parks and recreation, and helps them stand out among candidates in a crowded job market. Once park and rec professionals get certified, some wonder why they should take the next step and become a Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE). We could spew out all the reasons, but we thought it would be best if you heard it from the source - CPRE's tell you in their words why certification matters!  Read more

What drives you to set personal and professional goals? For Oakland County Parks and Recreation Executive Officer, Dan Stencil, his inner drive is what he says defines him.  One of the first to earn a Certified Park and Recreation Executive certification, Dan's got a great take on being motivated to reach your professional pinnacle and how certification, even at advance levels, can take you there.   Read more

What do nine CPRPs, one CPRE, one CTRS, two CPSIs, and five CPOs have in common? They all work at the City of Davenport Parks and Recreation! In this guest blog post, Seve Ghose, CPRE/MOL, Director of the City of Davenport Parks and Recreation shares how certification of staff has given a boost to their agency, benefits their staff and provides his views on the value of certification.   Read more