News & Announcements

Thursday February 19, 2026: START TIME: 9:00 AM PT | 10:00 AM MT | 11:00 AM CT | 12:00 PM ET (90 minutes) CEUs: 0.1 CEUs are available for this session. Advance registration required. This Master Class will explore evidence-based strategies for promoting and enhancing health and well-being through intentionally designed recreation and sport programming.The session will provide valuable  insights into the transformative impact of sport and recreation participation across diverse user groups. Attendees will learn how recreation professionals, educators, and practitioners can design and implement inclusive, engaging opportunities that foster physical activity, mental health, social connections, and overall quality of life. Visit the Conversations That Matter site for the full 2026 schedule.

Thursday January 22, 2026: Adapting Language, Preserving Values START TIME: 9:00 AM PT | 10:00 AM MT | 11:00 AM CT | 12:00 PM ET (90 minutes) CEUs: 0.1 CEUs are available for this session. Advance registration required. Even with large scale changes in the landscape, as professionals, we continue to center the work of access and inclusion, ensuring that parks and recreation are for everyone. The first step was shifting language, but how should we respond when tensions rise in the communities we serve? In this session, we will collaboratively create guidance on responding to social media around diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in community, and proactively shape stories and frame communication in ways that honor community context and reduce risk. Visit the Conversations That Matter site for the full 2026 schedule.

Ready to have your agency shine? Dreaming of earning the National Gold Medal Award – the premiere award in parks and recreation?  This engaging panel features representatives from the 2025 Grand Plaque recipient agencies as they share what it takes to earn parks and recreation’s highest agency honor. Hear how they approached the application process, showcased stories and data that stood out, produced a compelling finalist video, and found creative ways to celebrate their success with staff and community. Learn proven strategies, spark new ideas, and take your agency’s Gold Medal journey to the next level!

Orlando, Florida, Sept 17, 2025– The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce the Grand Plaque recipients in the 2025 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC is proud to continue sponsoring the Gold Medal Awards program as it has for more than 20 years. View photo gallery and the announcement video.

Three prominent park and conservation leaders from Virginia, Missouri, and Michigan received the Honorable Cornelius Amory Pugsley Medal for Parks and Conservation, September 17, 2025, at the annual awards dinner hosted by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in Orlando, Florida. The Honorable Cornelius Amory Pugsley Medals are the most prestigious awards that recognize outstanding contributions to the promotion and development of public parks and conservation in the United States. The inaugural Pugsley Medals were awarded in 1928.