IPRA Today

Illinois Park and Recreation

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Leadership Academy is designed for level 1 (Personal Leadership), level 2 (Leading Your Team), and level 3 (Leading Your Agency) leaders.  It is created in conjunction with the University of Illinois, and graduates will receive a certificate from U of I. It is a competitive program, accepting the cream of the crop in each level to a maximum of 30 people in each level. If you apply and are accepted, that alone will tell you that you are on the right path in your career; to proceed with the program you will learn many new skills for leaders in the park and recreation community. I encourage everyone to apply.

This year, the program will have all three levels meeting one day a month for six months, taking January off to focus on the conference, lasting September through March.  Each level will meet on the same day at the Hoffman Estates Park District so that attendees can network with people in all three levels and people from out of town may more easily carpool across levels. The event will begin on day one with a joint keynote address and will include mixed level education for a few select topics. We have added diversity related training at all three levels, as well as project planning, as it relates to each level in your career.

The Education Committee, who hosts the Leadership Academy, is working jointly with the Professional Services Committee to bring the i-Learn experience to the Academy. This program will include a mixed level small group project which will span the seven months of the program, featuring a group presentation on the last day of the Academy. This will allow attendees to learn a subject in depth as well as network with their small group. The group presentations will be judged, feedback will be shared with each group, and a winning team will be named at the Graduation ceremony.  

Additionally, we have varied the start and end times for each date of the program to allow out of town attendees to better manage traffic situations in the suburbs by having a mix of early dismissals and late dismissals.

Finally, all topics and speakers have been evaluated with some sessions replaced by what we hope will be an even stronger program.

Again, the Leadership Academy is IPRA's premiere educational program, designed for those people who hope to become the best leaders they can be for their communities, their agencies, and themselves. I hope that you will consider applying.

I hope to see your application soon!  If you have questions, please feel free to email me at debbie@ilipra.org.

-Debbie Trueblood, CAE

 
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
Throughout your professional life, you’ll listen to your fair share of people telling stories. Stories that will stick to your rib cage, light your fire, or give you flashes of inspiration. You will listen to stories about memorable customer service, amazing dedication, daring standards, and legendary leadership. The networking opportunities through IPRA (i.e. attending Professional Development School and spending countless hours in a remote area with new faces) will provide you with even more opportunities to surround yourself with "storytellers" who you can learn from that will inspire you to drive personal growth and change in your organization. 

If I were to write Cliff Notes summing up the top three things I’ve learned from listening to the best storytellers over the years and what separates them from the rest of the pack, it would look like this: 

1.      Your Attitude is Your Life: You can choose your attitude and your attitude changes your life and the lives of those around you. Rarely      does a bad attitude solve a problem. 

2.      Maximize Your Options: When we lock ourselves into one possibility of how things must be done, our agencies, our lives, and the lives of those around us get stuck. Maximize your options. Before you settle on just the right thing, play out a few more possibilities. In all things big and small, open yourself to the possible options. Then trust yourself to choose the right one for the moment. 

3.     Don’t Let the Seeds Stop You From Enjoying the Watermelon: Tell this to yourself every day; it will help change your attitude. 


Allison Niemela
Executive Director, Batavia Park District


 
NEWS YOU CAN USE
My story starts with working part time for the Downers Grove Park District working as a lifeguard, supervising softball games and helping lead after school programs for kids. I was not thinking of a career back then let alone that what I was currently doing could lead to a career choice. However, it was people such as Jim Ensign and Tom Carstens that informed me of their jobs and how I could become a public park and recreation professional. This led me to take some classes at College of DuPage in Recreational Leadership. It was then a person like Sevan Sarkisian who was my teacher at COD and got me interested and enthused about going to school for parks and recreation. I then went on to Illinois State University where people like Nancy Neibur, Sandra Little and Norma Stumbo  took the time to coach me through my college career and formed my pathway into the profession.

Without these individuals I would have not known how or why to network and become involved. Through them I became President of our ISU Student Society, a board member for the IPRA Student Section and eventually a member of the NRPA Student Board. These individuals also opened many doors so I could apply for various scholarships and stipends to allow for the cost of travel, lodging and related expenses on a student and part-time employee budget. All of my experiences, and a lot of what I account for today would not have been possible without these special people and the funds to make it happen.

As I transitioned from para-professional to professional, this trend of special people did not stop. Individuals such as Bob Kotula, Rod Aiken, Terry Schwartz, Mike Kudla, Keith Franklin and Steve Scholten all entered my life at one point or another. Again the coaching, advice and networking they provided me has developed me into the leader I am today.  Without these special people and the opportunities they gave me or helped facilitate, my career would not have advanced and been so satisfying.

I recently attended the IPRA Educational Institute with speaker Ian Hill. In his presentation he spoke about the special people in his life that had a profound impact on him and attribute to his success and the person he has become today. He donated to the IPRA Professional Development Program to provide scholarships to future leaders in our profession. He did so in honor and in the name of his special person. This year I donated to the Partners of Illinois Park and Recreation Association Foundation as in doing so I know I am paying it forward to help future professionals in parks and recreation have the same special people and opportunities I have been given over my career and have a story to tell in the future. Each year I will continue to donate in the name and honor of the special people named and unnamed in this article.

That is my story... what is yours?  Will you pay it forward today?

Michael Clark, CPRP
Executive Director, Palatine Park District

 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mid Year Fitness Meet-Up - 6/14/13
Bolingbrook Park District - Boughton Ridge Golf Course
11:00AM - 2:00PM

IPRA New Member Webinar - 2nd Quarter - 6/28/13
online
10:00AM - 11:00AM

Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) Exam Preparation - SERIES OF THREE CLASSES
Chicago Park District - Fosco Park
9:30AM - 1:00PM
 
CALENDAR/UPCOMING EVENTS
IPRA Board Meeting - 6/26/13
Batavia Park District - Peg Bond Center
10:00AM - 12:00PM

IPRA Six County Senior Olympics - July 10-24, 2013
Maine East High School

2nd Annual Teen Camp Olympics - 7/17/13
Lisle Park District
10:15AM - 2:15PM
 
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Here are some of the most recent job posts. To view the complete listing, click here!

  • Gymnastics Supervisor, Oswegoland Park District
  • Facilities Tradesman, Darien Park District
  • Director of Finance, Champaign Park District
  • Communications Coordinator, Buffalo Grove Park District

Have an open position to post? Click here!
 
SECTION/COMMITTEE INFO
Diversity Section Meeting - 6/19/13
IPRA Headquarters
10:00AM - 11:00AM

Athletic Committee Golf Outing - 6/19/13
St. Charles Park District - Pottawatomie Golf Course
1:00PM - 4:00PM

Facility Management Section Meeting - 7/12/13
Gurnee Park District - Hunt Club Community Center
1:30PM - 3:00PM

Communications & Marketing Section - Summer Social & Luncheon - 7/17/13
Carol Stream Park District - Coyote Crossing Mini Golf in McCaslin Park
1:00PM - 3:00PM

Recreation Section Meeting - 7/18/13
Channahon Park District - Arrowhead Community Center
11:30AM - 12:30PM
 
Wintrust Financial