Each year, NRPA hosts its Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest. But before one story makes the cover of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, countless submissions remind us just how powerful this work truly is.

With submissions now open for this year's Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest, this episode of Open Space Radio looks back at a few stories from last year that stayed with us. From older adults building connections through a simple walking program to children strengthening literacy skills by reading to horses, these stories capture what parks and recreation does best: create spaces where people connect and grow.

Tune in to hear our conversations with:

• Shannon Barrett, CPRP, recreation coordinator for City of Kerman (California), Parks, Recreation and Community Services, and participants from the Walk With Ease program, who share how a simple walking initiative has built a tight-knit, supportive community.
• Danielle Bachelder, CPRP, senior parks manager for Broward County (Florida) Parks and Recreation, and a young participant in the Pony Tales program, who discuss how a literacy-based initiative that invites children to read to horses is making an impact on children, families and the horses alike.

Both stories may seem simple on the surface. But as the team reflects in this episode, simple ideas often create the most meaningful impact.

Listen below to hear the full episode. You'll learn:

• How simple programs can create transformational impact across generations
• Why effective leadership, care and passion are often the keys to program success
• How partnerships expand access and broaden community reach
• The importance of starting small and building over time
• How storytelling helps elevate the power of parks and recreation
• And more

If your agency has a story that reflects "The Power Of" parks and recreation, share your photo and story by March 13 for a chance to be featured in the cover story of the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine. Pictured: Isabella Mangum reads to a horse named Cash at Tradewinds Park and Stables as part of the Pony Tales Program. Photo by Katherine Garces, courtesy of Broward County Parks and Recreation.

This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke: Outdoor play builds confidence, leadership skills and social networks. At BCI Burke, they design outdoor spaces that support movement, opportunity and connection, helping park and recreation professionals create environments where more girls feel encouraged to step in, play hard and lead the game.

Learn more at bciburke.com

Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all.

We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn't the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they grow. And right now, as girls' and women's sports are gaining national attention, it's a pivotal moment to rethink how youth sports actually show up for girls in our communities.

On this episode, we chat with two incredible local leaders who are putting these ideas into action in their communities: Sally Pennington, CPRE, director of parks and recreation in Eudora, Kansas, and Amy Tessier, recreation program supervisor in Twentynine Palms, California. We're also joined by Allison Colman, senior director of programs at NRPA, who helps lead our youth sports strategy and shares insight into NRPA's role in advancing this work nationwide.

Tune in below to hear how you can be part of the movement to get more girls in sports. You'll also learn:

• What participation gaps between girls and boys still exist, even as girls' and women's sports gain national visibility
• How early experiences in youth sports can shape long-term confidence and retention
• What a systems-change approach looks like in parks and recreation, from coach recruitment and training to programming
• Why increasing women coaches and role models is critical to keeping girls engaged
• How local programs are creating ripple effects beyond the field
• And much more!

Additional Resources

• Get Her in the Game
• NRPA Youth Sports Framework
• NRPA Youth Sports in Parks and Recreation Report
• Level Up: Coaching Tools to Inspire, Connect, and Lead Through Sports

Have feedback about this episode or Open Space Radio overall? Share it with us!

If you enjoyed this episode or learned something that might help you make a positive impact in your community, please consider donating to NRPA. Your gift will support our storytelling efforts and our mission to advance parks, recreation and environmental resilience efforts that enhance the quality of life for all. Give today at nrpa.org/donate.

This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by BCI Burke: Outdoor play builds confidence, leadership skills and social networks. At BCI Burke, they design outdoor spaces that support movement, opportunity and connection, helping park and recreation professionals create environments where more girls feel encouraged to step in, play hard and lead the game.

Learn more at bciburke.com

Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country.

On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics such as photography and videography, as well as leadership skills and teamwork, and Macon Ambitious Young Men, a group mentoring program that prioritizes holistic youth development.

What began with just a handful of participants has grown over nearly five years into programs that equip more than 100 young people with real-world skills, confidence and meaningful connections. As JaCory shares, mentorship isn't just about teaching, it's about showing up consistently, advocating for youth, and creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and empowered to thrive.

We're also joined by Olivia Peterson a program manager at NRPA on our youth mentoring team. Olivia reflects on how park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to integrate mentorship into everyday programs and interactions, from workforce development and sports to after-school and community events. Olivia also shares the importance of adults investing in young people's well-being and growth, as well as some helpful resources from NRPA.

Listen to the full episode to hear how mentorship is shaping futures in Macon-Bibb County and what it means for communities everywhere. You'll also learn:

• How mentorship relationships built through consistent support make a difference.
• How even small beginnings can grow into long-lasting impact.
• How parks and recreation naturally supports youth development and helps young people build confidence, belonging and leadership.
• How mentors who show up through the good times and bad times help youth build resilience and trust.
• How self-care, shared leadership and community backing help sustain mentoring efforts.

Helpful Mentoring Month Resources

• National Mentoring Month — NRPA: Learn more about the month-long celebration and access resources to support your youth mentoring programs.
• NRPA's Youth Mentoring Framework offers a 16-week curriculum of sample topics and activities that can be used in 1:1 or group settings. Other resources such as Career Pathways Through Youth Mentoring and Community Service Through Youth Mentoring offer best practices and ideas for local programs.
• NRPA's Building Local Partnerships to Support Youth in Parks and Recreation resource offers strategies and case studies for connecting youth to services to support their overall mental health and well-being.
• NRPA's Amplifying Youth Voice in Parks and Recreation resource equips park and recreation professionals with practical strategies to embed youth voice in programs.
• NRPA's Mentoring Through Youth Sports guide aims to help weave mentoring into all youth sports programs.
• MENTOR's Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ highlights six evidence-based standards that are intended to be applicable for any type of mentoring program.
• The National Mentoring Resource Center is the nation's premier source of training, technical assistance, tools, research summaries and other information for youth mentoring programs.

This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by: For more than 105 years, BCI Burke has worked alongside park and recreation professionals to design outdoor environments that support well-being, inclusion and Play That Moves You®. That focus aligns closely with NRPA and the purpose of Open Space Radio — sharing insights and stories that strengthen parks, recreation and open spaces in communities everywhere.

BCI Burke approaches play and movement with intention, believing that connection, learning and community all thrive outside. Through Open Space Radio, Burke is proud to support the sharing of ideas and experiences across the parks and recreation field.

Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.

November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America.

While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating land acknowledgments to climate resiliency. Each second is impactful. We have also provided more current resources, external research and history, as well as stories from Parks & Recreation magazine for you to turn to below.

Tune in to the episode below for 55 minutes of powerful history, examples of actions we can take, the importance of leading with curiosity and humility, and a whole lot more. We hope Sara and Stephanie inspire you to continue learning, just as they have done for us.

Additional Resources:

• Design, Place and Indigenous Ways: Working with Local Communities (Parks & Recreation magazine, December 2016)
• Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day: Lessons in Leadership and Risk-Taking (Parks & Recreation magazine, January 2020)
• Protecting the Land and Its History (Parks & Recreation magazine, December 2021)
• To Relate: Indigenous Views on Native American Historical Events in Texas (Parks & Recreation magazine, March 2022)
• https://illuminative.org/
• https://voiceofwitness.org/
• https://seedingsovereignty.org/
• https://www.firstnations.org/
• https://native-land.ca/
• https://www.saraesinclair.com/

Sara Sinclair's Book Contributions:

• A Steady Brightness of Being: Truths, Wisdom and Love from Celebrated Indigenous VoicesTruths, Wisdom, and Love from Celebrated Indigenous Voices
• You Were Made for This World: Celebrated Indigenous Voices Speak to Young People
• Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation
• How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America

Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals.

From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark.

Halloween Celebrations Across the Country

Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this year. In Denton, Texas, for example, the city celebrates all 31 days of October with more than 300 events and 30 placemaking experiences, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors downtown.

Cobb County Parks in Georgia brings the scares with its ever-growing haunted house event, which has expanded into a seven-day attraction boasting 17,000 square feet of spine-tingling fun. And in Rutland, Vermont, a legendary Halloween parade continues its decades-long tradition of bringing the community together.

True (and Truly Spooky) Stories From the Field

The stories that follow are first-hand accounts from professionals who have experienced things that defy easy explanation:

• The Whistling at the Senior Center: In Wyoming, Michigan, a staff member setting up for an event alone on a Saturday heard whistling echoing through the darkened building, even though every door was locked.
• Elise's Watchful Spirit: At Farrel–McWhirter Park in Redmond, Washington, longtime staff have grown accustomed to the lingering presence of the park's original owner, Mrs. Elise Farrel–McWhirter. From flickering lights to the scent of pipe tobacco wafting through empty rooms, her spirit seems to remain as she lovingly watches over the land she donated more than a century ago.
• The Fire Pit at Great Pond: In Maine, a routine maintenance check took a terrifying turn when a park and recreation professional found himself face-to-face with a family of baby skunks and a very protective mother. This suspenseful (and slightly comedic) tale proves that not all scares are supernatural!
• The Ghost in the Mist: During a New Year's Eve event in Belfast, Maine, a director captured what appeared to be a face (and a specific finger) in a mysterious mist that appeared during a community bonfire. The photo, still a topic of conversation at city hall, left her with chills that haven't quite faded.

This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by the American Sports Builders Association:The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) brings together the experts who design, build, and supply the sports facilities that bring communities to life. Their members are dedicated to creating safe, high-quality places where people can play, compete, and connect.

Whether you're planning a brand-new facility or upgrading an existing one — indoors or out — ASBA has the resources to help you Build It Right. Visit sportsbuilders.org to find a Certified Builder or explore their Construction and Maintenance Manuals packed with expert guidance for every type of sports facility.

On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things 2025 NRPA Annual Conference! It's hard to believe we'll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days.

If you'll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We'll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic!

On today's episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life. They'll be giving you some practical takeaways so you feel informed, less overwhelmed, and excited to dive into everything the conference has to offer.

Today we're so excited to welcome Jenna Kuklish, NRPA's education systems program specialist, and Michael Biedenstein, NRPA's Senior Manager of Membership.

We chat about all the things you'll need to know before you arrive and some helpful tips for navigating the conference. Tune in below to learn:

• An overview of key conference highlights and can't-miss experiences
• Tips for creating a personalized schedule and not missing out on key session or events
• How to maximize your learning and get Continuing Education Units
• Practical tips for navigating the Orange County Convention Center and surrounding areas
• Insider tips from NRPA staff and attendees
• And much more!

Helpful Links:

• NRPA Events App
• Exhibit Hall Highlights
• Full Education Session Schedule
• Networking Events in Orlando
• NRPA Network Meetings in Orlando (Including Conference 101: A Crash Course for New Attendees, taking place on Monday, September 15 at 5 p.m. in the Orange County Convention Center)
• Opening General Session and Day 2 General Session
• Shuttle Schedule
• 2025 NRPA Virtual Conference

This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by Xplor Recreation.

Xplor Recreation's parks and recreation software helps municipalities and government organizations of all sizes connect with their community. Xplor Recreation makes managing operations, payment processing, membership management, and program coordination effortless.

Are you heading to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference? Xplor Recreation will be giving away iPad Airs to three lucky attendees through a randomized draw. Enter for your chance to win by going to https://xplor.ink/NRPA2025.

This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual Maryland Recreation and Parks Association (MRPA) 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across the profession, and we've been eager to share the voices and stories that came out of the summit!

The summit first began in 2023, sparked by a recognized need within Maryland's park and recreation departments to better support and engage the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As Noah Callahan from Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks explained, it all started with a gap that was quickly filled by forming a committee, engaging with community members, and building momentum for a first-of-its-kind statewide event.

That first summit left a lasting impression, especially on attendees like Jaimie Wilder from Howard County Recreation & Parks. The welcoming atmosphere, thoughtful programming, and sense of solidarity stayed with them long after the event ended. So, when the second summit came around, it was clear this was becoming something special. It wasn't just a one-off, but a catalyst for real change.

The 2024 summit expanded on the foundation built the year prior. With both 101 and 201 breakout session tracks, attendees were able to engage with a variety of topics including allyship, inclusive policy, indigenous inclusion, programming strategies and historical context. As Ashlyn Thompson, inclusion and community outreach specialist for Montgomery Parks, shared, the summit was intentionally planned to meet people where they are — whether just starting their inclusion journey or deepening their understanding.

Kindness, joy and a strong willingness to learn was felt throughout the summit. That spirit, combined with deeply personal storytelling and education, created a space that was not only informative but transformative.

Tune in to the full episode to learn more about this special event and how it's impacting the culture throughout parks and recreation in Maryland. You'll also learn:

• How the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit is a model of how to build welcoming spaces through education and collaboration
• How connecting with speakers and organizations already doing work in your community — such as at Pride events — can make your inclusion efforts more authentic and impactful
• How this event led to new programs like "Robinson Rainbows" and influenced internal policies and workplace culture in meaningful ways
• How you can get started or deepen your organization's journey as it relates to this work
• And much more!

Additional Resources:

• MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit Webpage and Resources from 2024
• NRPA Resource Library

Earlier this spring, we had the chance to attend an incredible event in Washington, D.C., where we caught up with Akiima Price, co-founder and program advisor for Friends of Anacostia Park — an organization with a mission to enrich the lives of D.C. residents by preserving the park and connecting the surrounding communities to its restoration.

We met Akiima at NatureFest, a lively week-long celebration during D.C. Public Schools' Spring Break that provides a safe, engaging space for kids and their families to explore nature, have fun and create lasting memories. From boat rides and scavenger hunts to roller skating and live animal encounters, the joy was infectious. This event was a wonderful reminder of how parks can nurture community and connection.

After hearing Akiima speak at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference, we were inspired by her commitment to restorative park engagement — a human-centered approach to environmental education and programming. One that focuses on a person's immediate environment and all the factors that contribute to it.

In this episode, Akiima shares how her lived experience shapes her work and why centering humanity is crucial when building deeper relationships with nature and community. And, some very enthusiastic attendees, both kids and parents, shared with us why they appreciate NatureFest so much and all the things they learned.

Tune in to learn:

• What restorative park engagement is and why it matters
• How NatureFest helps families build lasting memories in Anacostia Park
• Why meeting someone's basic needs is essential for deeper environmental engagement
• How lived experience and empathy drive Akiima's approach
• What it looks like to design nature programs with the community, not just for them
• And much more!

Learn more:

• Friends of Anacostia Park

Happy Earth Month! On today's episode, we're excited to share a collaboration with NRPA's new podcast, Guardians of Greenspaces.

Guardians of Greenspaces is a podcast focused on conservation from a park and recreation maintenance lens. Hosted by Rukmini Kalamangalam, a program specialist on NRPA's community and environmental resilience team, Guardians of Greenspaces uplifts voices of experts in the field and will drop weekly for the next 10 weeks.

We recently caught up with Rukmini to learn more about this new podcast and how it will bring value to maintenance staff working in the conservation and environmental resilience space. Tune in below to learn:

• Some of NRPA's priorities as they relate to environmental resilience
• What prompted the creation of Guardians of Greenspaces
• What listeners can expect to learn on future episodes
• Interesting things Rukmini has learned hosting the podcast (like why people might not like tall grass)
• How you could win a $50 gift card to the NRPA retail store for listening

Plus, you'll hear the very first episode of Guardians of Greenspaces focused on staff engagement at the San Antonio River Authority!

Additional Resources:

• NRPA's Environmental Resilience Pillar
• NRPA's Earth Month Resources

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're celebrating the incredible women in parks and recreation who are shaping the profession and making a difference in their communities.

Women have long played a vital role in parks and recreation – but it has historically been a male-dominated industry. Today, the leadership and presence of women in the profession continue to grow. In fact, within NRPA's membership of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals:

• 47 percent of members identify as women
• 48 percent of 2023 NRPA Annual Conference attendees identified as women
• 53 percent of 2024 NRPA Directors School attendees identified as women
• 47 percent of Certified Park and Recreation Professionals (CPRP) identify as women

We recently asked women in parks and recreation to share their experiences with us, and we got some wonderful responses. Tune in to the full episode to hear from:

• Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO, gives a shoutout to women who have shaped the profession and NRPA staff who are leading impactful work
• Katie Groke, CPRP, director of community services at Apex Park and Recreation District (Colorado), shares how the former executive director of her department laid the groundwork for a lot of women at Apex to grow their careers
• Gabby Vera, CPRP, director of Lake Havasu City Parks and Recreation (Arizona), shares how she's making history by being the first female director at her department and the youngest director in Arizona
• Nikki Taylor, CPRP, assistant director of recreation for Town of Bedford (Massachusetts), shares how her department can empower girls and women and the importance of leading by example
• Renee Glosecki, a project manager at Orange County Parks (California), shares how she's making a lasting impact on women's history by paving the way for future generations of women in leadership roles
• Ali Rhodes, director of Parks and Recreation at City of Boulder (Colorado), shares how two impactful women who worked for her department in the 1990s provided her the honor of supporting a well-planned parks and recreation system.

And, we received another response after recording that we wanted to share, from Joan Scovic of Northbrook Park District in Illinois, who gave a shoutout to women leaders in Illinois:

• Carrie Fullerton, Arlington Heights Park District
• Lisa Sheppard, Glencoe Park District
• Elizabeth Kessler, McHenry County Conservation District
• Laura Rudow, St. Charles Park District
• Allison Niemela, Batavia Park District
• Alex Engelhardt, Fox Valley Special Recreation Association

Joan shared: "These women are all amazing leaders in the field of parks and recreation in Illinois (and around the country). They are phenomenal examples of how to be a female leader in this field, and show incredible support to other women. They take the time to educate, share their career paths and mentor others, and are models for other women who strive to be leaders and those who want to excel in service to their communities. They accomplish all of this with intelligence, compassion, humor and warmth, and have all achieved amazing things for the profession, for their communities, and for the women who are lucky enough to be in their spheres of influence."

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Women in Parks and Recreation Facebook Group
• Women in Parks and Recreation Webpage
• NRPA Youth Sports Framework

On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the critical role that parks and recreation plays in advancing sports opportunities for all youth — especially girls. Providing these opportunities is more than just fairness; it's about giving girls the opportunities and support they need to succeed, both on and off the field. Participation in sports is linked to increased self-esteem, better academic performance and higher career aspirations for girls.

Sports also have the power to build confidence, foster leadership skills and create lifelong connections. However, girls often face barriers that prevent them from participating and staying engaged. This episode brings together leaders from various organizations to discuss strategies for making sports more inclusive and empowering for young girls.

Tune in to the full episode below to hear from experts in this space who are making a huge impact, including:

• Teresa Morrissey, Senior Program Manager at NRPA

• Kelsey Moore, Director of Social & Community Impact at Nike

• Jillian Green Loughran, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport

• Julia Lankford, Director of Operations at Laureus USA Sport for Good Atlanta

You'll learn about the importance of engaging girls in youth sports, as well as:

• The key role parks and recreation plays in providing accessible, affordable and high-quality sports opportunities (they reach more than 40 million youth annually!)

• Why collaboration and partnerships are key to advancing girls' participation in sports

• Strategies to break down barriers preventing girls from participating and staying in sports

• How coaches – specifically women coaches – play such a critical role in advancing this work

• How your park and recreation agency can be part of this movement and get more girls in the game

• And much more!

By investing in inclusive sports programming, training coaches and fostering partnerships, park and recreation agencies can help ensure that every girl who wants to play has the opportunity to do so.

Thank you to our guests for their insights and dedication to advancing gender equity in sports. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to Open Space Radio and share it with others who are passionate about the power of sports to change lives.

Resources Discussed on this Episode:

• NRPA Youth Sports Framework

• Play to Lead Report: The Generational Impact of Sports on Women's Leadership

• Nike Coaching Girls Guide: How to Get (and Keep) Girls Playing – Strategies for Engaging & Retaining Girls in Sport

• Body Confident Sport

• Coaching HER

• Nike Super Bowl Ad: So Win.

• Center for Healing and Justice through Sport

• Laureus USA Sport for Good Atlanta