OREGON RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

ORPA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING: AS A TRADE ASSOCIATION DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSION, ORPA'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IS CENTRAL TO ITS EXEMPT PURPOSE. THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERS A COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO BUILD PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES, SUPPORT CERTIFICATION, AND STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE CAPACITY ACROSS OREGON.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. IN 2025, ORPA HOSTED NINE IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS SERVING 413 PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THE LAUNCH OF THREE NEW PROGRAMS: MAINTENANCE INSTITUTE, PARKCORE: ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP, AND THE AQUATICS PROFESSIONALS SUMMIT. THESE OFFERINGS PROVIDED TARGETED, ROLE-SPECIFIC TRAINING AND HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ADDRESSED CRITICAL OPERATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP NEEDS WITHIN THE FIELD.ORPA ALSO EXPANDED ITS VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, DELIVERING 22 WEBINARS AND ONLINE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO 459 PROFESSIONALS. NEW CONTENT AREAS INCLUDED A BOARD DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR SERIES, SUPPORTING GOVERNANCE EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS AMONG AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.ADDITIONALLY, ORPA ENHANCED LEARNING WITHIN ITS SECTION MEETINGS BY INTEGRATING STRUCTURED PEER-TO-PEER EDUCATION WITH NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTERING STRONGER CONNECTIONS AMONG PRACTITIONERS.COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED MEASURABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT, KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS), DIRECTLY SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PARK AND RECREATION SERVICES DELIVERED TO COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE.

ORPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: THE ORPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS THE ORGANIZATION'S LARGEST ANNUAL PROGRAM, CONVENING HUNDREDS OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS OREGON FOR THREE DAYS OF EDUCATION, NETWORKING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE CONFERENCE WAS RELOCATED TO EUGENE, OREGON, ENABLING EXPANDED USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED VENUES AND SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING PLACE-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. THE CONFERENCE DELIVERED MORE THAN 40 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, 13 FIELD-BASED SESSIONS, AND MULTIPLE GENERAL PLENARY EXPERIENCES. THE INCREASE IN FIELD SESSIONS FROM PRIOR YEARS PROVIDED PARTICIPANTS WITH HANDS-ON, PEER-LED LEARNING IN REAL-WORLD PARK AND RECREATION SETTINGS, STRENGTHENING PRACTICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE. ATTENDEES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS) TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT.THIS PROGRAM DIRECTLY ADVANCED THE ORGANIZATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS STATEWIDE, FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS, AND PROMOTING THE EXCHANGE OF INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE COMMUNITY SERVICES.