The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Release Date: 01/27/2026
The Power of Getting Girls in the Game — Episode 175
Open Space Radio
What does it take to increase the number of girls participating in sports? On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and how park and recreation professionals are at the center of it all. We know sports offer lifelong physical and mental health benefits, helping girls build strength, confidence and connections. But when it comes to getting more girls and women involved in sports, participation alone isn’t the goal. The real work is creating environments where girls feel like they belong, and feel supported, safe and excited to stay in the game as they...
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The Power of Mentorship in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia — Episode 174
Open Space Radio
January is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country. On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics...
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Honoring Native American Heritage Month — Episode 173
Open Space Radio
November is Native American Heritage Month — a time to honor and celebrate Native people in the United States. On this episode, we are resharing a conversation from 2021 with Stephanie Lozano, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation tribe and a tribal liaison for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, and Sara Sinclair, an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa and German-Jewish ancestry, Columbia University professor and editor of How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. While this episode originally aired in 2021, there are still so many relevant pieces, from activating...
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An Open Space Radio Halloween: Spine-Chilling Tales from Parks and Recreation — Episode 172
Open Space Radio
Halloween is here, and Open Space Radio is celebrating with one of our most hauntingly fun episodes yet. In this special episode, we sit around the virtual campfire to share a few eerie tales from park and recreation professionals. From ghostly encounters in historic parks to strange happenings at community events, this episode is packed with stories that remind us how our parks come alive (and sometimes come back to life) after dark. Halloween Celebrations Across the Country Before diving into the stories, we highlight some of the incredible ways communities are celebrating Halloween this...
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The Insider’s Guide to the 2025 NRPA Annual Conference — Episode 171
Open Space Radio
On this very special episode of Open Space Radio, we discuss all things ! It’s hard to believe we’ll be in Orlando with thousands of our friends, colleagues and peers in just a few days. If you’ll be in Orlando, please come say hello to the Open Space team in the exhibit hall. We’ll be posted up in the Open Space Lounge, which is booth #1272, right next to the NRPA Member Area. Come hang out for a few, grab some swag and even get on the mic! On today’s episode, we have some very special guests who play a big role behind-the-scenes to make the NRPA Annual Conference come to life....
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Reflections From the MRPA 2SLGBTQIA+ Summit — Episode170
Open Space Radio
This Pride Month, we are proud to spotlight the powerful work happening in Maryland to build more inclusive and welcoming park and recreation spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Way back in September 2024, Christina attended the second annual at the North Laurel Community Center. As the only known state-level summit of its kind in the field of parks and recreation, this gathering is a testament to the intentional and sustained effort to center representation and inclusion across the profession, and we’ve been eager to share the voices and stories that came out of the summit! The summit...
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Centering Community and Connection at Anacostia Park — Episode 169
Open Space Radio
Earlier this spring, we had the chance to attend an incredible event in Washington, D.C., where we caught up with Akiima Price, co-founder and program advisor for Friends of Anacostia Park — an organization with a mission to enrich the lives of D.C. residents by preserving the park and connecting the surrounding communities to its restoration. We met Akiima at NatureFest, a lively week-long celebration during D.C. Public Schools’ Spring Break that provides a safe, engaging space for kids and their families to explore nature, have fun and create lasting memories. From boat rides and...
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Introducing Guardians of Greenspaces — Episode 168
Open Space Radio
Happy Earth Month! On today’s episode, we’re excited to share a collaboration with NRPA’s new podcast, Guardians of Greenspaces. is a podcast focused on conservation from a park and recreation maintenance lens. Hosted by Rukmini Kalamangalam, a program specialist on NRPA’s community and environmental resilience team, Guardians of Greenspaces uplifts voices of experts in the field and will drop weekly for the next 10 weeks. We recently caught up with Rukmini to learn more about this new podcast and how it will bring value to maintenance staff working in the conservation and...
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Celebrating Women’s History Month in Parks and Recreation — Episode 167
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we’re celebrating the incredible women in parks and recreation who are shaping the profession and making a difference in their communities. Women have long played a vital role in parks and recreation – but it has historically been a male-dominated industry. Today, the leadership and presence of women in the profession continue to grow. In fact, within NRPA’s membership of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals: 47 percent of members identify as women 48 percent of 2023 NRPA Annual Conference attendees identified as women 53 percent of...
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Youth Sports: If She Can See It, She Can Be It — Episode 166
Open Space Radio
On this episode of Open Space Radio, we explore the critical role that parks and recreation plays in advancing sports opportunities for all youth — especially girls. Providing these opportunities is more than just fairness; it’s about giving girls the opportunities and support they need to succeed, both on and off the field. Participation in sports is linked to increased self-esteem, better academic performance and higher career aspirations for girls. Sports also have the power to build confidence, foster leadership skills and create lifelong connections. However, girls often face barriers...
info_outlineJanuary is National Mentoring Month — a time to celebrate the transformative power of mentorship and spotlight the essential role park and recreation professionals play in fostering youth development in communities across the country.
On our first episode of 2026, we chat with JaCory Bazell, CPRP, CYSA, CPO, the center supervisor at Bloomfield-Gilead Recreation Center in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, to explore how mentoring takes shape in his community. Through the Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department, JaCory leads two youth mentoring programs: a teen media program focused on topics such as photography and videography, as well as leadership skills and teamwork, and Macon Ambitious Young Men, a group mentoring program that prioritizes holistic youth development.
What began with just a handful of participants has grown over nearly five years into programs that equip more than 100 young people with real-world skills, confidence and meaningful connections. As JaCory shares, mentorship isn’t just about teaching, it’s about showing up consistently, advocating for youth, and creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and empowered to thrive.
We’re also joined by Olivia Peterson a program manager at NRPA on our youth mentoring team. Olivia reflects on how park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to integrate mentorship into everyday programs and interactions, from workforce development and sports to after-school and community events. Olivia also shares the importance of adults investing in young people’s well-being and growth, as well as some helpful resources from NRPA.
Listen to the full episode to hear how mentorship is shaping futures in Macon-Bibb County and what it means for communities everywhere. You’ll also learn:
- How mentorship relationships built through consistent support make a difference.
- How even small beginnings can grow into long-lasting impact.
- How parks and recreation naturally supports youth development and helps young people build confidence, belonging and leadership.
- How mentors who show up through the good times and bad times help youth build resilience and trust.
- How self-care, shared leadership and community backing help sustain mentoring efforts.
Helpful Mentoring Month Resources
- National Mentoring Month — NRPA: Learn more about the month-long celebration and access resources to support your youth mentoring programs.
- NRPA’s Youth Mentoring Framework offers a 16-week curriculum of sample topics and activities that can be used in 1:1 or group settings. Other resources such as Career Pathways Through Youth Mentoring and Community Service Through Youth Mentoring offer best practices and ideas for local programs.
- NRPA’s Building Local Partnerships to Support Youth in Parks and Recreation resource offers strategies and case studies for connecting youth to services to support their overall mental health and well-being.
- NRPA’s Amplifying Youth Voice in Parks and Recreation resource equips park and recreation professionals with practical strategies to embed youth voice in programs.
- NRPA’s Mentoring Through Youth Sports guide aims to help weave mentoring into all youth sports programs.
- MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ highlights six evidence-based standards that are intended to be applicable for any type of mentoring program.
- The National Mentoring Resource Center is the nation’s premier source of training, technical assistance, tools, research summaries and other information for youth mentoring programs.
This season of Open Space Radio is sponsored by:
For more than 105 years, BCI Burke has worked alongside park and recreation professionals to design outdoor environments that support well-being, inclusion and Play That Moves You®. That focus aligns closely with NRPA and the purpose of Open Space Radio — sharing insights and stories that strengthen parks, recreation and open spaces in communities everywhere.
BCI Burke approaches play and movement with intention, believing that connection, learning and community all thrive outside. Through Open Space Radio, Burke is proud to support the sharing of ideas and experiences across the parks and recreation field.
Thanks to BCI Burke for supporting this episode and for their continued commitment to Play That Moves You®.