NDRPA Awards
NDRPA recognizes parks and recreation professionals, organizations and projects through its annual award program.
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- Distinguished Professional Award honors professional members of NDRPA and NRPA with more than 10 years of experience.
- Outstanding Young Professional Award honors professional members of NDRPA and NRPA who have experience of less than 10 years and are age 35 or younger.
- Citizen Advocacy Award honors individuals for outstanding contributions to the park, recreation and conservation movement.
- Golden Egg Award recognizes outstanding and innovative park projects.
- Partnership Award honors organizations for outstanding contributions to the park, recreation and conservation movement.
- Innovative Programming Award recognizes and honors an NDRPA member agency or organization that demonstrates leadership with advanced groundbreaking ideas in programming.
- Impact Award recognizes an NDRPA member agency or organization that demonstrates creativity and innovation in the promotion of diversity, equity, and/or inclusion.
Nominations
The 2025 NDRPA Award nomination form will be available in the spring. Awards will be presented at the NDRPA State Conference September 30 – October 2 in Fargo.
NDRPA Award Recipients
Distinguished Professional Award
2021 – Tyler Jacobson, Valley City Parks and Recreation
2021 – Mike Wald, Bismarck Parks and Recreation District
Outstanding Young Professional
2024 – Caleb Burgard, Dickinson Parks and Recreation
Golden Egg Award
2024 – Friendship Park, Dickinson Parks and Recreation
Partnership Award
2024 – Dickinson State University Sanford Sports Complex
2024 – U.S. Forest Service
Innovative Programming
2024 – STRONGkids Program, Dickinson Parks and Recreation
2024 – Fargo Park District Forestry Team
Other
Arts & Humanities Award
2011 – Artist in Residency Program, ND Council on the Arts and ND Parks and Recreation Department
2013 – Red Door Art Gallery, Wahpeton
Land & Water Conservation Fund
2004 – Bismarck Parks and Recreation (Award for Excellence in Stewardship)
2004 – Walsh County Park Board (Award for Excellence in Project Administration)
2005 – Mandan Park District (Award for Excellence in Stewardship)
2005 – Wahpeton Park Board (Award for Excellence in Project Administration)
NRPA Award Recipients
Gold Medal Award
2024 – Dickinson Parks & Recreation
2017 – Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
1993 – Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
American Park and Recreation Society Meritorious Service Award
1994 – Bob “Goose” Johnson, Fargo Park District
1999 – Steve Neu, Bismarck Park District
Citizen Board Member Branch Outstanding Board or Commission
2001 – Bismarck Parks and Recreation District
Midwest Award Recipients
Arts & Humanities
1997 – Trollwood Park Performing Arts School, Fargo Park District
2008 – Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science Complex, Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
Individual Citizen Citation
1981 – Nancy Koch, Grand Forks Park District
1992 – Meredith Mitskog, Wahpeton Park Board
2006 – Dr. Alan King, Dickinson
2008 – Tim Mueller, Bismarck
Organization Citation
1991 – Bismarck Recreation Council
2006 – Destiny Dickinson
2007 – Bismarck Parks and Recreation District/Magical Moments Playground Committee
2010 – Williston Community Builders
Fellow Award
1975 – Dr. LaVernia Jorgensen, UND
1988 – Tim Mueller, North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department
1990 – Steve Neu, Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
1992 – Doug Jaeger, Dickinson Parks & Recreation District
1993 – Bob “Goose” Johnson, Fargo Park District
1997 – Randy Bina, Bismarck Parks & Recreation District
Outstanding New Professional Award
2011 – Joe Deutsch, North Dakota State University
Distinguished Professional Service Award
2014 – Wayne Beyer
Professional Service Award
2014 – Terry Wallace