
National Girls & Women in Sports Day 2025: Lead Her Forward
By Brian McFadden | Posted on January 31, 2025
On Wednesday, February 5, we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, a powerful reminder that girls and women belong in every aspect of sports. Here's how you can get involved.

Parks in Action: Meeting Community Needs During Times of Crisis
By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP | Posted on January 29, 2025
From public health emergencies to natural disasters, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation has demonstrated adaptability and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of L.A. County residents.

Celebrating Youth Mentoring Success in Parks and Recreation
By Maureen Neumann | Posted on January 23, 2025
Park and recreation agencies are building youth mentoring into afterschool programs, sports programs, and as standalone mentoring programs, but the possibilities for integrating mentoring into parks and recreation programs are endless.

The Maine Event: Innovative Approaches to Sustainability in Parks and Recreation
By Barbara Kapustin | Posted on January 22, 2025
Stretching across 30,843 square miles, the state of Maine is well known for its extensive coastline, tasty seafood and stunning national park. It's also among the few states that have state-wide recycling legislation.

Mentoring: A Positive Impact for All — Episode 165
By Christina High and Cort Jones | Posted on January 21, 2025
On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're exploring the power of mentoring with mentors and youth mentees from programs in Mesa, Arizona; Huntsville, Alabama; and Monroe County, Michigan.

CPRE: A Certification to Help You Be Better
By John Roche, CPRE | Posted on January 17, 2025
A challenge to take the CPRE exam and "be better" in this field from John Roche, CPRE, the manager of recreation, parks & community services and the aquatics director for Crystal Springs Family Waterpark in Township of East Brunswick, New Jersey.

Inspiring Youth Through Neil Postman’s 3 A’s
By Rebecca Ortiz | Posted on January 16, 2025
As park and recreation professionals, we must bring about curiosity, encourage critical thinking and inspire youth to be a part of the community so that they may desire to maintain and improve it.

Mastering Essential Skills in Park and Recreation-Based Workforce Development
By Ron Schmidt | Posted on January 13, 2025
The City of Columbia, Missouri's career readiness program, aims to prepare Columbia’s youth for the workforce and for becoming productive, self-sufficient citizens by providing comprehensive services that include essential skill development.

Thank Your Mentor Day: Stories of Impact from STRONGkids
By Sarah Mendieta | Posted on January 10, 2025
In Dickinson, North Dakota, the Best Friends Mentoring Program has partnered with Dickinson Parks and Recreation to create a program for youth in 6th-8th grade.

From Plans to Parks: Learning from Lewisville
By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP | Posted on January 8, 2025
Clement Lau reflects on what he learned during a 2024 NRPA Annual Conference session about addressing park access challenges in an underserved area in Lewisville, Texas.