NATIONAL PROGRAMS.

The will to win the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential these ore the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

The NRPA National Programs office has continued to increase its outreach with external organizations during the fiscal year 2000. Established in September 1998, the office now manages 19 national partnership programs and initiatives. Dedicated to achieving the NRPA vision, the National Programs office operation is predicated upon a clear protocol for action:

To enhance the membership service package for NRPA members to more effectively communicate, facilitate, and advocate the benefits of parks and recreation to the public while also seeking to sustain the resource needs of the organization, affiliates, and members. To articulate the core values of health and wellness throughout the lire span, environmental stewardship, youth development, and bridging the digital divide as essential to any initiative. To accentuate the critical role that the multi-faceted profession of parks and recreation has in securing a quality of lire for an increasingly aging, culturally diverse, and technologically advanced society.

Over 2,300 local park and recreation agencies utilized one or more of the NRPA National Program offerings this fiscal year, and NRPA was responsible for harnessing the resources to provide grants and equipment in excess of $300,000 directly to local agencies.

Active Options

This is NRPA's first national program specifically targeted at older adults and health. The National Recreation Foundation-funded research project for older-adult health was completed in cooperation with the Foothills (Colo.) Park and Recreation District and a research team from Pennsylvania State University and Kent State University. The research documented that park and recreation fitness programming may have positive physical fitness and health benefits for older participants. A program resource guide is available for local agencies and includes protocols for improving documentation of fitness programs.

ActiveParks.org

NRPA launched the ActiveParks.org initiative at the NRPA Congress & Exposition in Nashville. This project is focused upon aggregating information associated with local, county, and state park and recreation facilities/programs in one database; providing free Internet-based management tools for improved efficiency; and promoting public access information about the nationwide network of park and recreation systems. The facility inventory was launched in February, and a redesigned Web presence for NRPA was launched in early June.

American Bicycling Association

NRPA facilitated a BMX track facility development grant program and awarded 19 communities with ABA construction assistance grants valued at $5,000 each.

Amateur Volleyball Association

NRPA signed an agreement with AVA to expand volleyball league play through park and recreation agencies nationwide. A program pilot was implemented in three markets providing equipment, management support, and program materials for league development.

FLAGHOUSE[R]

A discount purchase/affinity program was constructed to provide price reductions for park and recreation agencies. CATCH, a FLAGHOUSE[R] product aimed at improving physical activity among youth, is being offered at a special rate to member agencies.

Chalk It Up[TM]

Sponsored by S&S Worldwide, Chalk It Up[TM] generated over 50,000 participants in the first year of the program. This visual arts project added an intergenerational focus and cultural arts experience to the NRPA National Programs listing while generating significant public visibility in the local markets offering the event.

A national award program also was developed in concert with the program delivery.

Come Out & Play[R] America

NRPA was offered the exclusive license distribution rights to extend this unique public visibility and programming resource to member agencies. Over 50 communities participated in the pilot year of this program offered in partnership with Leisure Lifestyle Consulting.

Country Home and Garden Product Sampling

NRPA signed an agreement to develop a tour of product-sampling events showcasing historic and cultural preservation through parks and recreation.

Education To Go

Advancing the commitment to bridge the digital divide, NRPA agreed to test pilot an online education and training program through member agencies. The six-week courses developed by partner Education To Go will be offered through local agencies to reach a broader segment of their community.

Hearts N'Parks

Supported by a National Recreation Foundation grant, NRPA and health/science partner the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute completed a successful pilot project in 12 communities throughout North Carolina. Coordinated by North Carolina State University Recreation Resource Service Department, the project focused upon heart-healthy activities, information, and behavior change for youth and older adults. The most unique aspect of the program was a focus upon documenting success. A second pilot was initiated in Arlington County, Va., where the program was successfully launched with the assistance of U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher. The program guide and video were developed and the program was prepared for nationwide distribution. The public visibility generated from this initiative effectively positioned NRPA for leadership in the dissemination of community-based health promotion efforts.

Hershey's Youth Track and Field Program

Since 1978, the Hershey Youth Program has been a mainstay of park and recreation programming, and is the longest-running recreation program offered through NRPA.

Accomplishments this year included the development of a Web-based database of local and state events to use as a reference for parents and participants.

Ladies' Home Journal 

Celebrating 12 years of the LHJ/NRPA Family Fun Days sampling program, Columbus, Ohio, served as the keynote site for the program.

Let's Play Sports

A national pilot of this innovative youth sports camp program curriculum encompassing 16 sports was administered and evaluated. Sports Illustrated for Kids signed on to promote the program, and NRPA acquired the rights to administer and manage the national program development.

National Football League Youth Development Grants

NRPA received a grant from the NFL to promote and develop youth football, and $75,000 was distributed to 73 communities to support scholarships, equipment, and youth training opportunities. NRPA also expanded the NFL Ambassador Club service with a listserv and developed a facility database of football facilities to support the ActiveParks.org project.

Millennium Trails

NRPA served as a sub-contractor for the Millennium Trails Council project and as a member of the Green Ribbon Panel. NRPA supported activities for three Millennium Trails and 15 Legacy Trails nationwide. The Millennium Trails Project represented the designation of America's finest trails systems.

Nickelodeon's Big Help Project

NRPA awarded Nickelodeon the Media Excellence Award and assisted in the second year of the project focused upon parks. The environmental stewardship aspects of the program were diverse and benefited hundreds of communities and thousands of youth.

NRPA Citizen Citation Project

To celebrate the 43rd anniversary of July is Recreation and Parks Month, NRPA replicated the original celebration, which focused upon citizen volunteerism. NRPA provided commemorative citations to local communities interested in celebrating key volunteers.

NRPA Day of Service Project

Dozens of local agencies participated in this yearlong celebration of community service projects supporting parks and recreation facilities. The project was kicked off at the NRPA Congress & Exposition in Nashville, and participating communities were given camera-ready artwork and program suggestions.

Pool Cool

NRPA has worked to build awareness about skin cancer prevention and sun safety since joining the American Cancer Society's Skin Protection Federation in 1998 as a charter member. This year, NRPA worked with the University of Hawaii Cancer Research Center to implement a nationwide pilot test of a sun-safety education program for poolside and swim-lesson delivery. One hundred and eighty-three pool sites participated in the Pool Cool national pilot, and funds are being sought to make this program widely available through NRPA.

United States Tennis Association 

NRPA continued to support the growth and development of tennis programming through park and recreation agencies. A monthly column was placed in Parks & Recreation magazine, and seven tennis management institutes were held in conjunction with state associations. The USTA sponsored the NRPA trustees at the Tennis Hall of Fame during the spring board meeting and worked to support the grassroots advocacy for the CARA legislation.