NRPA Recognizes Excellence in Parks and Recreation With the Innovation and Spotlight Awards

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is excited to announce the recipients of this year’s NRPA Innovation Awards, Spotlight Awards, and Scholarships and Fellowships. The awards will be presented during the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference this September when NRPA will announce the winner of its Best in Innovation Award, which recognizes the best of the best in park and recreation innovation.  

NRPA Innovation Awards acknowledge park and recreation agencies nationwide that have improved and strengthened their communities through innovative practices in park design, health and well-being, environmental resilience and parks for all. 

The recipients of this year’s awards are as follows:   

  • Innovation in Health and Well-Being Award: Cities of San Carlos and Belmont Parks and Recreation for Teen Wellness Retreat, San Carlos and Belmont, California
  • Innovation in Equity Award: Brooklyn Center Parks and Recreation for Reciprocal Swim Lessons, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota
  • Innovation in Environmental Resilience Award: Forest Preserves of Cook County for Seed Amplification Program, River Forest, Illinois
  • Innovation in Park Design Award: Finlay Park, City of Columbia Parks and Recreation, Columbia, South Carolina

NRPA Spotlight Awards are presented to individuals to honor their efforts — both professional and personal — in the field of parks and recreation. The following individuals are recognized with NRPA Spotlight Awards:  

  • National Distinguished Professional Award: Jill Geller, CPRE, Parks, Recreation and Libraries Director, Roseville, California
  • Dirk Richwine Professional Mentoring Award: Kate Meacham, CPRE, Parks and Recreation Director, Allen, Texas
  • Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award: Angel Ferrara, CPRP, Director of Parks and Recreation, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas
  • Robert M. Artz Advocate Award: Jono Miller, Advisory Board Member for Sarasota County PARC and ESLOC Boards, Sarasota, Florida

NRPA Scholarships and Fellowships provide honorees with the opportunity to attend and explore the operation of the field at the NRPA Annual Conference. Congratulations to our award recipients in the following categories:  

Young Professional Fellowships:

  • Maria Contreras, Waukegan (Illinois) Park District
  • Claryce Free, CPRP, AFO, Temple (Texas) Parks and Recreation
  • Danielle Kugler, St. Marys (Pennsylvania) Parks and Recreation
  • Kaitlyn Schech, Kent County (Delaware) Parks and Recreation

Diversity Scholarships:

  • Lisa Lewis, Richland County (South Carolina) Recreation Commission
  • Amarre Negussie, Des Moines (Iowa) Parks and Recreation

Student Scholarships:

  • Camrahn Jamison, University of North Carolina Greensboro
  • Abigail Jones, Appalachian State University

“Congratulations to these outstanding awardees who are shaping the future of parks and recreation with passion and purpose,” said Kristine Stratton, NRPA president and CEO. “Their work is a powerful reflection of the power that parks and recreation has in communities nationwide, and of the dedication professionals bring to this work every day. We look forward to celebrating these inspiring leaders in Philadelphia during the 2026 NRPA Annual Conference.”

“This year, we received nearly 250 submissions, our highest ever. This surge in participation proves that innovation is not just happening in our field — it is accelerating every single day,” said Maxime Pierre, CPRP, chair of NRPA’s National Awards and Scholarship Committee and deputy director of Parks and Recreation for Chatham County, Georgia. “That acceleration deepened the motivation of the NRPA National Awards and Scholarship Committee to ensure the most deserving students, professionals and agencies received the most appropriate acknowledgement by becoming national award winners. This transformative work is happening now, and our winners will undoubtedly inspire those who follow in their footsteps.”

To learn more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.