February 2022 - Parks & Recreation - 38

30 UNDER 30
Kori Jones, 30
Recreation Supervisor, Howard County Department of
Recreation and Parks (MD)
Kori Jones serves as a recreation supervisor II
with Howard County, Maryland's Department of
Recreation and Parks. Jones helped create Rec Zone,
a program for families who needed assistance with
childcare during virtual learning due to the COVID-19
pandemic. He also worked with schools to hold
listening sessions to create a sense of belonging for
staff and students, including conversations around
identity and what an inclusive building looks like.
Jones also leads the diversity, equity and inclusion
efforts and committee for the department. What's
more, the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association
chose Jones for the volunteer position of equity officer.
Joy Kacoroski, 30
Interpretive Specialist 2, Washington State Parks and Recreation (WA)
Amy Jean-Baptiste, 30
Assistant Director, City of Sunrise
(FL)
Amy Jean-Baptiste began as
assistant
director
Services
of
leisure
services for the City of Sunrise,
Florida, in August 2021. The
Leisure
part-time
and
Department
seasonal
includes more than 320 fulltime,
employees
serving approximately
100,000 Sunrise residents. JeanBaptiste
not only was tasked with
quickly learning a new large-scale
operation, but also had to do it in
a telecommuting environment,
due
to
the
pandemic,
with
out-of-the-ordinary facility
and programming operations.
She quickly took on two
longstanding incomplete projects
and successfully implemented
programs for both park
instructors and field rentals -
both programs had a great impact
on the Sunrise community.
38 Parks & Recreation | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 22 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
Joy Kacoroski, interpretive specialist 2 for Washington
State's Deception Pass State Park (DPSP), has made a
significant impact toward the development of DPSP's
environmental education program. Kacoroski ensured
the curriculum, pre-testing and post-testing were
consistent with science and technology standards.
As the pandemic began, Kacoroski was among the
leaders who quickly adapted to multiple platforms
that would support virtual learning. Kacoroski also
was responsible for collaborating with the Samish
Tribe and Swinomish Tribe as Kacoroski developed
a Junior Ranger book specific to DPSP. Kacoroski also
partnered with the Samish Tribe on interpretive panels
for the tribe's story pole, Ko-Kwal-A-Woot.
Sarah Kent, 30
Outreach Manager, Great Parks of Hamilton County (OH)
Sarah Kent's role as outreach manager for Great
Parks of Hamilton County, Ohio, started when she
was hired to open a new nature center. The center's
location is in a food, recreation and nature desert. Nature
Center at The Summit allows Hamilton County's
Roselawn residents walkable access to explore nature.
Starting from an abandoned room, Kent organized
and created the center. She fashioned space for local
teens to come, sit and do homework or read from a
nature library. Kent also set up a crafting and discovery
area for younger learners and designed an animal
engagement area for all visitors to enjoy.
February 2022 - Parks & Recreation

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