Western region.

Plano (Texas) Parks and Recreation recently recognized the need to promote some classes a little differently. While many home-schooled kids have been using recreation programs to enhance their education, Piano never directly marketed to this growing universe. To make these classes easier to identify, Piano added a category in its program catalog under the Youth section titled "Home School" Home-school organizations help promote recreation programs that support the needs of students. Many of these organizations have newsletters and advertise recreation programs. For more information, contact Amy Fortenberry at 972-9417250 or [e-mail].

Beverlee Nielsen, a recreation programmer with Mesa Parks and Recreation, won the 2003 Arizona Interscholastic Association Official of the Year Award. This was based on both her outstanding volleyball officiating skills, as well as her involvement with outside organizations including her church, Mesa Association for Sports for the Disabled, Special Olympics and a variety of youth sports.

Susan Jansen recently received the City Ambassador Award of Excellence for public service from Tucson, Ariz. Jansen has been the Inclusion Coordinator for NRPA Agency Member Tucson Parks and Recreation Department since January 2001. The primary goal of the position is to promote successful inclusion of individuals with disabilities into existing programs, classes, events and facilities. Some successes include training staff across the department on sensitivity in working with participants with a variety of disabilities; adapting forms, registration process, facilities, games and arts and crafts and recreation programs for people with special needs; and coaching staff with difficult program participants on how to help that participant be successful in their activity.

Frank Cosgrove passed away in July. He had been NRPA Western Service Center Regional Director from 1975 to 1992. Prior to that he was the National Executive Director for American Youth Hostels as well as a recreation professional in Michigan and New Jersey. Cosgrove was recognized as the NRPA Distinguished Professional Award in 1992. more than 300,000 annual guests, 70 percent local and 30 percent tourist. Park officials expect those percentages to flip at the new Parrot Jungle Island, and they are projecting an estimated one million visitors in its first year of operation. The new 18.6-acre entertainment destination is the home to more than 3,000 exotic animals and 500 species of plants. The Everglades Habitat, sponsored by South Florida Water Management District, recreates South Florida's unique "river of grass" and its wildlife.

DC Parks and Recreation, which serves the entire Washington, D.C. metropolitan area recently marked a technology milestone with the debut of Internet registration services for its park and recreation programs and services. The agency will use RecWare recreation management software, part of The Active Network, to automate and Web-enable operations at 77 recreation centers and facilities. This is the first time DC Parks and Recreation has used software are automation to streamline administration and the public's first opportunity to register for D.C. programs or reserve park space using the Internet.