Admin Management Excellence
Lewisville Parks and Recreation
When Lewisville joined the 10 Minute Walk to a Park initiative in 2017, one neighborhood in the city presented unique challenges in devising solutions to address park and open space deficits. By developing strategies for placing healthy equity at the forefront of public infrastructure plans and ensuring authentic community collaboration with residents, businesses and organizations in the Triangle Neighborhood, Lewisville was able to break down barriers to build trust and bridge gaps in access to parks.
Excellence in Planning
Permian Basin MPO and Dunaway Associates
The Permian Basin MPO provides leadership to the greater Permian Basin region in the planning, funding, and development of a safe, efficient multimodal transportation system. Historically, this role has been focused on developing motorized transportation to provide safety and capacity upgrades in the nation’s busiest oil field. In 2017, the MPO was awarded supplemental funding under the TxDOT State Planning and Research program to undertake a herculean effort in the study of a multimodal trail facility to unify, both literally and metaphorically, the cities of Midland and Odessa. After multiple years of planning and evaluation, involving multiple stakeholder municipalities, county governments, universities, chambers of commerce, and local businesses, the master plan for the “Wildcatter Trail” was approved in summer of 2022.
Maintenance Achievement
City of Arlington Parks and Recreation
Following a tragedy at an Arlington Splash Pad, Arlington Parks and Recreation answered a call to action and implemented the Bakari Williams Protocol and made significant investments in the installation of health and safety equipment at its public pools and splash pads to ensure all aquatic facilities across the city were safe for all users to enjoy.
Park Design Excellence
Rockwall Parks and Recreation and Child’s Play, Inc
Kidzone Playground; a wood playground originally built in 2004 had reached the end of the useful lifespan and was re-imagined in 2022 by the Rockwall Parks and Recreation Department, Child’s Play, Inc., Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club, and Ebby Halliday Reality.
The playground is an all-access structure and leaves no child behind regardless of their abilities.
Dan Whitworth Fellow
Scott Swigert
For the span of two decades, Scott Swigert has left a lasting impact in the parks and recreation industry in the State of Texas through his various capacities with TRAPS, the Texas Parks and Recreation Foundation, Texas Municipal League, Texas City Managers Association, International City Managers Association and National Recreation and Park Association and the communities he has served across the state. Scott has been an exceptional mentor and a trusted friend to hundreds of his colleagues in the field. Scott embodies what it means to be a leader. His integrity, ethics, honesty and drive to make everyone else around him shine makes Scott one of the best of us. As TRAPS President, Scott always spoke about communities being like a stew. While not the “meat and potatoes” in that stew, Parks and Recreation serve as the “vegetables” that make the meal healthy and balanced through the quality-of-life opportunities we provide. Scott’s leadership has not only helped TRAPS be a healthier organization but positively impacted the lives of park and recreation professionals he’s mentored and the residents of each community he’s served.
Individual Outstanding Service
Paul Gray – RISE Adaptive Sports
Few people have had such an impact on providing and expanding opportunities for adaptive sports than Paul Gray.
Paul became familiar with the struggle and need for therapeutic recreation opportunities and adapted sports when a friend was paralyzed in a car accident at age 15. After years of envisioning a weekly therapeutic recreation program as a needed outreach to hospitals, rehab centers and industry organizations, Paul founded RISE Adventures in March of 2007. Over the next 15 years he served as the visionary Board Chairman and lead volunteer for the organization that was soon providing multiple weekly opportunities for hundreds of participants and their families every year.
Rise Adventures evolved into Rise Adaptive Sports and became a national model for other organizations. Paul’s drive and generous spirit was evident in the thousands of hours he spent at Meadowmere Park prepping and providing programs that had a profoundly positive impact on the people with physical disabilities he was determined to serve.
Recreation Facility Design
Lewisville Parks and Recreation and Barker Rinker Seacat (BRS)
Thrive is an 87,000 square-foot multigenerational facility designed to be a place for engagement and enrichment for the Lewisville community. Community members were involved in every facet of the project, from approving a $38.1m bond, to providing input on design elements and naming the facility. With the addition of $8m in support from the 4B Fund, this is Lewisville’s single largest capital project to date at $46.1 million. The facility captures the project vision for a “welcoming, enduring design celebrating health, fitness, and nature to gather and connect family and friends and become the Lewisville lifestyle’s focal point.”
Organizational/
Volunteer Service Award
Verizon nominated by the City of Grapevine
Grapevine Parks & Recreation Department collaborates often with the many businesses and corporations within the community. Verizon is one such valuable partner making Grapevine a happier place to live, work, and play through impactful conservation efforts.
During the Grapevine Arbor Day Celebration in November, Verizon donated $15,000 to plant and maintain 70 native trees to help reclaim lost canopy coverage due to past flooding events. Over time the value of Verizon’s volunteerism and monetary donations have exceeded $55,000 bettering the environment in the community and more than 75 employees and their families have volunteered.
Park Development Innovations
Pearland Parks & Recreation
Environmental stewardship is one of Pearland Parks & Recreation’s four pillars which they strive to cultivate in the community. In this region, coastal prairies were once the dominant ecosystem but have mostly been wiped out by modern human practices. One of the department’s most ambitious environmental project is the complete restoration and management of a coastal prairie site within a city park. This habitat restoration project includes the transformation of a monoculture of non-native invasive Chinese Tallow Trees into a representative coastal prairie that provides valuable wildlife habitat to many species in decline, improves ecosystem services, and engages our community in its natural history.
Arts & Humanities
Class I
City of Garland Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department
The Band Together on the Square series encouraged patrons to navigate around construction and support small businesses while bringing a focus to local bands and singer songwriters, setting the stage for music lovers to recognize Garland as a music destination.
Downtown merchants created on-the-go concert meals, boutique specials, and cross-promotion events. In a time of uncertainty, live and local music was a constant during Band Together on the Square.
Class II
Grand Prairie Parks, Arts and Recreation, The Uptown Theater
A local Grand Prairie family was burdened with tragedy when their son, 9 year old Nicolas Escalante, was struck and killed by a car while playing in his front yard. Nicolas was an aspiring artist and had a dream of one day having an art gallery. Upon hearing his story, The Uptown Theater made that dream a reality, posthumously. The event was very well attended and covered by the local news, meaning the world to the family. It was an amazing display of the community being there for each other and something the family will never forget.
Class III
City of Farmers Branch, Historical Park
The Farmers Branch Historical Park created an intimate Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebration, which has sold out year after year since starting in 2018. The holiday, which focuses on gatherings of family and friends to honor and pay respect to loved ones who have passed, reflect on their lives, and help support their spiritual journey. Event activities include a variety of remembrance altars, entertainment including mariachi bands and folklórico dancers, crafts, and authentic food and beverages.
Class IV
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center
Together with an art therapist who had an inspired idea to create an event that highlighted Art Therapy as part of the holistic health healing the inaugural Be You Festival at Laurel Ridge was created. Patients were led to create artwork that had a personal meaning through self-expression. This was a new idea that brought creativeness and hope into the people we serve and the staff who serve them.
Promotional & Marketing Excellence
Class I
City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department
In May 2022, Austin Parks and Recreation released “Parque Zaragoza: Communidad, Cultura, y Resiliencia,” a short documentary about Parque Zaragoza, established in 1931 as the first public park for Austin’s Mexican American community.
Featuring community members and former PARD staff members who recount the remarkable history of a park that emerged from discriminatory city plans and policies, overt racism, and systemic inequities that pushed the Mexican American community into East Austin. The video demonstrates a resilient community pulling together to build this public space into an important thread in the overall fabric of Austin’s history.
Class II
Denton Parks and Recreation
Conventional wisdom whispered that investing in a beer fundraising campaign on the cuff of the pandemic was an arduous endeavor, and in true form, Denton Parks and Recreation ignored the voices in their heads knowing our industry thrives on comradery and comebacks. In the spirit of their mission to ‘Unite, Grow, Play’ they teamed up with the Denton Parks Foundation and Denton County Brewing Company to craft the “Brew for Better Parks” fundraising campaign.
As with all great ideas, it started after work over a couple of drinks and grew into a genius collaboration that has since raised over $25,000 In support of local parks and recreation programs. At the heart of this collaboration is “Triple Play,” a locally crafted beer that is distributed and sold to generate proceeds that get poured back into Denton’s parks and programs.
Class III
Pflugerville Parks and Recreation
Pflugerville Parks and Recreation knew the key to a successful public engagement campaign for their new master plan would be to engage this community in a way it had never been done previously.
Working with their consultant, Berry Dunn, staff was challenged to creatively engage the community in the most unique and effective ways. Staff took a parade float from storage and created a “WHY PARKS MATTER” trailer to move around the community and start the conversation about parks and park improvements. The trailer logged over 150 miles within the city limits of Pflugerville during the campaign.
They also used the Cameo platform to hack the ability to connect with a celebrity. We used the platform with great success to kick off our public engagement campaign and to help us close it out as well. We saw over 10,000 points of engagement on our social media platforms from the Cameo videos.
Class IV
City of Murphy
For Parks and Recreation Month the Murphy Parks and Recreation Department organized a social media campaign to increase Facebook engagement. The campaign centered around their bigfoot mascot, Murf, escaping from the animal shelter and all the places he visited during the month. Murf visited several parks, programs, and even local businesses throughout the month to engage and inform residents of all the events, programs, and businesses we have in Murphy. The Murf campaign was so popular, he still makes guest appearances and is asked about constantly by residents.
Class V
City of Anna
Each month, Anna Parks and Recreation held a themed activity which featured crafts and games around the theme, but attendance was stagnant at 3-5 attendees. A rebranding was the key to unlock registration hurdles. They decided to rebrand their “Storybook Saturdays” to “Pop-up Recreation” and see if it would help more effectively describe what our programming was all about. It worked and registration numbers soared in comparison.
Lone Star Recreation Programming Achievement
Class I
San Antonio Parks and Recreation
This year more than 150 participants in San Antonio Parks and Recreation’s Summer Youth Program plunged into the world of robotics introducing students to basic engineering, design and science concepts. SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program managed by RoboNation, Inc. and offered through a partnership with the Department of Defense.
Through hands-on construction of an underwater remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, participants fostered critical thinking skills, collaboration, and creativity. Students then submerged and tested their ROV’s at City pools with obstacles courses, fun races, and robot battles.
Class II
Carrollton Parks and Recreation
The 2022 the Carrollton Special Needs Spring Bash was designed to provide children and adults of all abilities with an inclusive and adaptive recreation experience. Through unique partnerships and outstanding volunteers, the Special Needs Spring Bash provided friends and families a free opportunity to engage in a variety of games and activities in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
A Sensory Friendly Break Area was also available with noise cancelling headphones, sensory toys, and other calming activities for individuals with sensory sensitivities.
The only thing that was able to shine brighter than the sun, was the smiles on all the faces at the 2022 Carrollton Adaptive Spring Bash!
Class III
Cedar Park Parks and Recreation
Kaleidospoke, a new family cycling and glow party event, themed “Let’s Glow Riding,” promoted cycling while having FUN! The Bling Your Ride station provided riders with glow items to light up their bikes and local cycling vendors provided bike tune-ups, information, and giveaways.
Riders completed a one-mile loop around the lake which finished through a LED tunnel and then attended a glow party complete with a DJ, light show, LED swings, seesaws, and glow performers.
Class IV
Sherman Parks and Recreation
The Fall Festival for Special Needs event developed from of a desire to provide an activity in our community for the population that has been undeserved in the past. We organized games, prizes, a free lunch, and a photo opportunity for families with children classified as special needs on a very limited budget.
By utilizing the community support both financially and with volunteers, we were able to provide an event that participants desired and were proud to be a part of. We had overwhelming positive responses from not only participants, but also from community members saying that they wanted to participate in future events geared to this population.
By laying the foundation and creating the framework, Sherman Parks and Recreation has already began planning events for families with special needs into the next year and the next budget cycle.
Class V
Mont Belvieu Parks and Recreation
Mother Son Game Night is an evening where mothers and sons of all ages come to Eagle Pointe Recreation Complex to enjoy a fun-filled night of games. Indoor laser tag, giant Jenga, and GaGa ball were just a few of the fun interactive games that made the night such a success. Paired with an amazing snack bar, music, and giveaways the event was something you did not want to miss. The Selfie Station allowed participants to take home a picture as a memory and the t-shirt cannon blasting t-shirts towards the crowd was a huge success adding to the fun and exciting atmosphere. Mother Son Game Night was a great bonding experience, and everyone left with a smile on their face.
Gold Medal
Class II
City of Arlington Parks and Recreation
In Building on the momentum from the department’s NRPA Gold Medal in 2018, the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department embarked on a three-year period of growth unlike anything in its history, all while successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arlington completed over $100M+ in capital construction between 2019-2021, including Texas Rangers Golf Club (2019), the Kathryn Wilemon Lake House Event Center (2019), the Beacon Recreation Center (2020), and the East Library and Recreation Center (2020).
Arlington Parks and Recreation quickly implemented safety protocols and program adjustments for in-person visits that allowed the majority of its facilities to remain open during the pandemic. Combined with increased digital content, Arlington Parks and Recreation continued to meet the health, wellness and recreational needs of its residents during the COVID-19 crisis, while providing a blueprint for other parks and recreation agencies across the state and country.
Arlington continues to set a gold standard in satisfying the health and recreational pursuits of its residents. Arlington ranked 25% above the national average in overall satisfaction with Parks and Recreation in an independent study by the ETC Institute in 2019 among cities with populations of 250,000+, the highest in Texas.
Class III
New Braunfels Parks and Recreation
The New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department seeks to continue the tradition of exceeding citizen expectations through provision of programs, places, and people that make life better. With over 700 acres of parkland including an 18 hole championship golf course, 74,000 sq foot recreation center, two historic cemeteries and the famous Comal River Tube Chute, their parks offer opportunities for thrills, respite, connection and rest. The staff strive for continual improvement and push boundaries for excellence. Achieving CAPRA accreditation in 2020 is one example of this. Development of a cost recovery model for all programs and facilities is another way the team sets goals, analyze performance, and plan for the future. Holding steadfast to preserving the culture and history of New Braunfels, the team offers unique programming to introduce new residents to local traditions. Activities like Soul Searching: Night Ramblings in the Comal Cemetery, Wein & Saengerfest and even Tamale Making Workshops provide clever ways to pass on tradition.
Jerry D. Garrett Young Professional Award
Chris Escoto
Chris Escoto currently serves the City of Denton as a Park Planner in the Parks and Recreation department. Over the last year, Chris has initiated or overseen five Master Plans, coordinated with the Public Art Committee for eight new sculptures, created and adopted several development agreements, and helped add to Denton’s inventory of over 100 acres of parkland through park dedication/easement acquisition. Chris’s efforts coordinating with surrounding community leaders on the Lake Lewisville Paddling Trail project was submitted via state application in February of 2022 to formally recognize a cohesive paddling trail system on the lake, meeting state and national standards for blue trails. Chris served on the 2022 TRAPS North Committee, is a recent graduate of the 2022-2023 TRAPS Leadership Academy Cohort, and recipient of the 2022 TRAPS North Region Park Professional of the Year Award. He is currently finishing his MBA in Strategic Management as well as his Project Management Professional (PMP) designation with the intention of serving North Texas as a future Director.
Educator Outstanding Performance Award
Jan Hodges
Dr. Hodges is one of the most hardworking and motivating professionals in academia. Her knowledge and passion for the field of recreation is nothing less than exceptional. It is rare as an academic that you have an advocate in both recreation administration and recreation therapy curriculum and knowledge, this alone sets her apart from most others. Her dedication to scholarship, teaching, and service is unmatched, and she has remained influential in setting the bar for the last 30 years. Her drive to enhance and advocate for organizations like NRPA and TRAPS is shown by her willingness to present more than 30 times at conferences, take up extra work at the university level so that her faculty can serve as branch leadership, and the consistent encouragement she provides her students to attend these networking events. The field, colleagues, and students are lucky to have her as an advocate, mentor, and supporter.
Honorary Life Membership
Julee Rosales
Julee Rosales, TRAPS former Membership Manager and Director of Operations. After 15 years of incredible service, Julee accepted a new position outside of TRAPS after having achieved her Certified Association Executive credentials. She said during her time with TRAPS, “It has been an honor to be a part of TRAPS, whose members are vital in every community and provide exceptional services each day. Thank you for the support and many memories during my time as part of the TRAPS staff.”
We are grateful for her dedication and professionalism to our organization and wish her all the best.
Monica Sue Walsh
Monica Sue Walsh had a career in Parks and Recreation spanning over 30 years. Her journey began with the City of Fort Worth as a young professional and student in 1979. Her last post was as the Director of Parks and Recreation in Colleyville, Texas.
Throughout her distinguished career, Monica served in many leadership positions in TRAPS, Texas Amateur Athletic Federation, and National Recreation and Parks Association. Monica has a reputation of someone who worked diligently to better the profession and was not afraid to approach hard problems and seek positive resolution.
Since retiring in 2017, Monica has continued to serve TRAPS as a volunteer and mentor. Monica’s commitment to the profession of parks and recreation and specifically TRAPS, makes her the ideal candidate for an Honorary Lifetime Membership.