The City of Collegedale Parks and Recreation announced on Nov. 19 via Facebook that Christina Clark, recreation program specialist, would be installed as the 2020-2021 Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association (TRPA) President.
According to the website, TRPA is a nonprofit professional society of approximately 800 individuals and agency members. Organized in 1952, the organization exists to strengthen and unite those committed to the benefits of parks and recreation. TRPA offers workshops, roundtables, training and an annual conference with educational sessions for Continuing Education Units that certified professionals need to maintain their certification.
Clark said she joined the City of Collegedale Parks and Recreation department in August 2020 as a recreation program specialist, a position through which she creates and provides programs, activities and events for the Collegedale community.
As president, Clark will be responsible for chairing all executive board meetings as a voting member, chairing all association membership meetings, appointing all chairpersons for committees, preparing messages for the magazine, acting as a liaison between the executive board and executive director and hosting an assembly for board training and association goal setting, Clark said.
A part of Clark’s main goals are to continue the 21 by 21 Initiative which is to have 21 professions certified by the 2021 National Recreation and Park Association conference in Nashville.
“[I want to bring] my attention to Tennessee Recreation and Parks Educational Foundation (TRPEF), which helps provide scholarships for our professionals and students majoring in our field of work, and to streamline how we build and offer our workshops and conferences,” Clark said.
According to an article written by Aaron Browning, the TRPEF joined TRPA’s 21 by 21 Initiative by providing scholarships to interested individuals that would cover the testing fee. In 2020, 11 parks and recreation professionals received scholarships towards their Certified Parks and Recreation Professional certification. Clark began her term as TRPA president on Nov. 19 and will continue in the position until she passes the gavel to the next president-elect at the organization’s annual conference in fall 2021.
