Have you ever suffered from “FOMO,” aka, “fear of missing out?” The NRPA Annual Conference has always been a great place to learn, reconnect with old friends, meet new friends, and see the latest and greatest trends and technology that our industry has to offer, but this year’s FOMO factor is through the roof! We’re celebrating our 50th anniversary, and we’re proud to feature a full slate of Pre-Conference Workshops, Off-Site Institutes and education sessions that support each of our Three Pillars of Conservation, Health and Wellness, and Social Equity. Below, find a handful of educational highlights planned for the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference, held September 15-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pre-Conference Workshops
It’s no secret that park and recreation budgets are shrinking, even as our economy improves. It’s also no secret that selling sponsorships is a wonderful way to increase revenue. Come to author and sponsorship expert Sylvia Allen’s “12 Steps to Sponsorship Success” workshop to learn the latest trends, from what assets are valuable to sponsors to what you should be charging. Allen’s workshop, plus others, will be featured on Monday, September 14. Please check the full conference schedule for details.
Off-Site Institutes
The city of Las Vegas has a lot to offer, and this year’s Las Vegas Local Host Committee has put together a stellar lineup of Off-Site Institutes to introduce you to the real Las Vegas. Visit with the star of the reality television show “Pawn Stars” and Clark County Museum Administrator Mark Hall Patton as he leads the “Mystery History Tour” around Las Vegas Valley, or pick up some tips for connecting your community to nature in the “Helping Communities Get Their Nature On” with Crystalaura Jackson and Alice Hulslander at the Clark County Wetlands Park. Want to try something new? Grab your bathing suit and head to the “Las Vegas Aquatics — Play and Practice” tour of Pavilion and Garside pools, and then try your hand at log-rolling at the Municipal Pool! Yes! Log-rolling!
A total of 12 Off-Site Institutes will be held on Sunday, September 13, Monday September 14, and Thursday, September 17. Please check the full conference schedule for details.
Education Sessions
The Conference Program Committee, a volunteer committee of your peers, has put together yet another wonderful lineup of education sessions spread across 11 disciplines or tracks, including Healthy Lifestyles, Leadership and Management, and Marketing and Public Relations. Hone your work skills, learn programming ideas, and share best practices from all around the country at one of 200-plus education sessions featured from Tuesday, September 15 through Thursday, September 17. And be inspired! Learn how to face difficult personal and professional challenges from Donna Kuethe in her “True G.R.I.T.T. (Growing Resiliency in Tough Times)” session on Wednesday, September 16. You’ll have the opportunity to earn more than half of the credits required to renew your CPRP certification. Please check the schedule for a full session listing, plus the CEU amounts being offered.
Learning Lab
Visit the Exhibit Hall for some valuable face time with some of our Conferences’ most interesting participants in this year’s incarnation of the Learning Labs. Meet keynote speaker Gil Penalosa as well as the winners of our Park of the Future design contest and see their award-winning park. Visit with ASTD-certified Trainer Jerry Balistreri as he discusses key takeaways from his education session “Reading the Tells — Learning How to Read Body Language” and much more! Learning Lab appearances will be held during Exhibit Hall hours Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16. No CEUs offered.
Learning Playground
Back by popular demand is our specially designed classroom on the Exhibit Hall floor, created to get you up and out of your seats. Six sessions total will be held in the Learning Playground from Tuesday through Wednesday, including 50 ideas for keeping our screen-addicted citizens engaged at the “Spatial GAMES at Warp Speed!” session Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., hosted by Paul Wright. 0.1 CEUs offered for each session.
Glass Room Sessions
Also located within the hustle and bustle of the Exhibit Hall floor will be five sessions hosted by our industry’s thought leaders discussing some of the issues we can expect to see during the next 50 years. Beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, and starting on the hour from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., please come to these participatory sessions, including topics ranging from “Drones in Parks” with NRPA’s own Vice President of Conservation and Parks Richard Dolesh, to “Creative Placemaking” with Nette Compton. One additional Glass Room Session will be held Wednesday, September 16, at 1 p.m. when ESPN Emmy Award-winning journalist and Aspen Institute Sports and Society Executive Director Tom Farrey leads a discussion about the “Future of Play,” and details the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. See the full conference schedule for details. No CEUs offered.
Speed Sessions
Your votes have been counted and the results are in. From 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 17, the Conference is honored to host 36-plus short, engaging, 20-minute talks on a wide range of subjects. For example, glean easily digestible insights about what it takes to be an effective leader in Dr. Stephen Wolter’s “Leading From Inside Out” speed session. Looking for helpful hints on planning an event on a small budget? Teresa Brown Stubbs has you covered in her “Planning a Special Event on a Budget” speed session. No CEUs offered.
There’s one place in the Nevada desert where you can learn to meet the needs of your current job, or hone the skills needed for a new one. Learn the best practices of our industry at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference from your peers, but also take care to actively participate in the education presented at the Conference. It’s this sharing that helps you retain the information needed to transform your agencies when you return home and impress your managers. Come to Las Vegas and help us celebrate NRPA’s 50th anniversary and avoid FOMO!
Tom Crosley is NRPA’s Education Manager, Conferences and Schools.