From the time you arrive at Conference, even before attending the first education session, learning begins in the casual conversations with new colleagues or old friends. No matter where you are in your career — a college student looking for that first park and rec internship, young professional just starting out or a seasoned veteran — or your learning style, there’s something for everyone who attends.
Repeat attendee, John Koehler, director of community recreation for the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Community Recreation Department, describes his Conference experience this way: “Every time, I come back (this is his third Conference) I have to buy new socks because they are knocked off over and over by the locations, accommodations, socials, exhibit hall and education sessions!”
Learning through play was the theme running through this year’s education offerings, and the Program Committee went to great lengths to ensure there were a number of fun, unique options. For example, attendees of the “Partners in Play: Exploring Creve Coeur Park” Off-Site Institute, learned about public-private partnerships while experiencing the amenities of the park. “We didn’t just talk about going outside to a park,” explained Heidi Miller, center supervisor for the city of Allen, Texas, “but, instead, we actually went and played at a park!”
Many of the traditional lecture-style sessions were also interactive, with the presenters allowing time for Q&A from participants and/or small, peer-to-peer group discussions. New this year was the Creativity Lab where attendees could participate in individual, small and large group activities, games and exercises to help spark innovation, guide creative problem solving and provide engaging discussions.
Additional interactive education could be found in three separate areas on the show floor — the Learning Playground, Glass Room Sessions, and the Learning Labs. And, there was a Technology Solutions Center that offered 20-minute sessions on the latest and greatest technology or software product solutions to help integrate agency operations.
Often, with so many interesting sessions happening at the same time, choosing which to attend was difficult. The NRPA Conference App was a great tool for such a situation, because, as one attendee noted, “It allowed me to see PowerPoints from the other great sessions that I was not able to attend.”
For those unable to make it to St. Louis, NRPA Live provided virtual access to a selection of sessions each day. Now that Conference 2016 in the books, online access to the handouts from many of the educational sessions are available and the time spent reviewing them may be applicable toward CEU requirements for renewal of Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) credentials.
Planning is already underway for next year’s Conference in New Orleans and proposals for education sessions are being accepted now through November 18, 2016. Proposals for Speed Sessions will be accepted in early spring of 2017. We look forward to seeing you in The Big Easy!