July is Park and Recreation Month, and this year we want to showcase the diversity of park and recreation professionals! In addition to individuals of various ages, abilities, races, genders and backgrounds, we’d like to see park and recreation professionals from communities big and small across the country in various career paths, taking part in their unique day-to-day activities.
We’re looking for 31 such people whose stories we can highlight each day throughout the month of July on NRPA’s social media pages. We want the world to see what we already know — park and recreation professionals are our unsung heroes making our communities great places to live, work and play.
Do you have a colleague, working in this field, who you think deserves a day of national recognition? Submit a photo of them below, along with a short story about how they’ve impacted you or your community and about the life-changing — and in many cases, life-saving — work they do. We’re not worried about self-promotion, either, so feel free to nominate yourself, as well!
Please note: If there's a volunteer in your community who has made an impact and worked in a similar capacity as someone employed at your agency, you can nominate them, too.
The 31 people selected will also be featured on the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, and get the chance to have their story featured in the issue.
The 31 people will be chosen by a review panel looking to showcase people from all sizes of agencies, geographic areas, cultural backgrounds and job functions.
Timeline:
- April 17, 2020: photo and story submissions due
- May 1, 2020: 31 individuals selected notified
- July 1-31, 2020: One person’s photo and story highlighted on NRPA social media each day
Tips for a successful submission:
- Submit compelling photos of park and recreation professionals in action, as well as a portrait/headshot* of the person.
- Submit photos that show the variety of roles taken on by park and recreation professionals.
- Along with your photos, submit a story that illustrates how your nomination has impacted their community (park and recreation professionals do life-changing and life-saving work every day - this part should be easy!).
- Submit high-resolution photos (minimum of 300 dpi if possible).
- If your photo/submission is not selected, don’t worry, you may still see it featured in some of our promotions throughout the year!
*A forward-facing headshot or portrait is required for being featured on the cover of Parks & Recreation magazine.
Questions can be sent to NRPA Communications Manager Cort Jones.
