For the second year in a row, the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department brought a first-place award home from the Mississippi Park and Recreation Association”s Annual Convention and Trade Show.
The city”s Parks and Recreation Department won the Arts, Humanities and Programming Award of Merit for the French and Spanish language classes it offers for local children and adults. Starkville was competing against other Class II cities, with populations between 15,000 and 34,999 people.
At the competition last year, Starkville won first place for Outstanding Facility Design among Class II Parks and Recreation departments for the city”s Sportsplex on Lynn Lane. Also last year, the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department won the Outstanding Examples of Recreation Programming award for its Silly Sports Camp.
Matthew Rye, director of the Starkville Parks and Recreation Department, said he was excited to see the city receive an award for the second year in a row. He commended program coordinator Lisa Cox, who organized the foreign language classes. She was unavailable for comment.
“This award kind of accomplishes our goal,” Rye said. “We want to provide as many services as we can to the citizens of Starkville. I think it”s a credit to Lisa and what she”s doing.”
While Starkville already is known for its sports programs, the most recent award serves as an example of the wide variety of programs offered at the Parks and Recreation Department, Rye said.
“Even though we have strong sports programs in all of our sports, we”re not all about sports programs,” he said. “We have lots of other things going on here.”
The Parks and Recreation Department offers aerobics classes, yoga, senior citizen activities and youth summer camps, among other activities. Local youth also can participate in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball and flag football leagues, plus other sports. Adults sports leagues also are found within the Parks and Recreation Department.
For a complete list of programs, sports and activities, visit starkvilleparks.com or call 662-323-2294.
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