{"id":276,"date":"2014-04-10T22:09:52","date_gmt":"2014-04-10T22:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/?page_id=276"},"modified":"2025-01-22T15:49:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T21:49:57","slug":"awards-and-honors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/about\/awards-and-honors\/","title":{"rendered":"AWARDS AND HONORS"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>LOCAL AWARDS<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"normaltextrun\">2024 <span class=\"outlook-search-highlight\" data-markjs=\"true\">H-GAC<\/span> Parks and Natural Areas Awards, <\/span><span class=\"normaltextrun\">On-the-Ground Project Under $500k<\/span><span class=\"normaltextrun\"> category &#8211; <\/span><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Martin Elementary SPARK Park<\/span><\/li>\n<li>2022-Winner of Distinction, Award for Excellence, Better Business Bureau<\/li>\n<li>2022-Kathleen Ownby, Scenic Houston&#8217;s 2022 Scenic Star Recipient<\/li>\n<li>2019-Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Meador Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2018 &#8211; Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2015\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Certificate of Recognition,\u00a0Spring Forest\u00a0Middle School<\/li>\n<li>2015\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Honorable Mention,\u00a0University of Houston Graduate Design\/Build Studio for Lockhart Elementary School<\/li>\n<li>2014\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, University of Houston Graduate Design\/Build Stuido for Paul Revere Middle School<\/li>\n<li>2014\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner, Certificate of Recognition, Ketelsen Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2014\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner, Certificate of Recognition, Stovall Middle School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2013\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Wilson Wonderground SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2013\u2014Runner-Up\u2014Houston-Galveston Area Council\u2019s Parks &amp; Natural Areas Best Practices Program, Wilson Wonderground SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2013\u2014Museum District Business Alliance, Community Improvement Award, Wilson Wonderground SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2012\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Travis Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2012\u2014Houston History Magazine, article on history of SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>2011\u2014Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, McReynolds Middle School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2011\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Distinguished Service Award, St. Johns Students\/Berry Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2010\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner, Honorable Mention, Spring Woods Middle School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2009\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner, Honorable Mention, Hogg Middle School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2008\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Meadow Wood Elementary School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2008\u2014Honor Award \u2013 Houston-Galveston Area Council\u2019s Parks\u00a0 &amp; Natural Areas Best Practices Program, Tinsley Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2008\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2008 SPARK Art Calendar<\/li>\n<li>2007\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Douglas Smith Elementary School SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2007\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2007 SPARK Art Calendar<\/li>\n<li>2006\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Garden Villas Elementary School\u00a0SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2006\u2014Community Spirit Award, American General Life Insurance<\/li>\n<li>2006\u2014Leadership Houston\u2019s Leaders In Action Award for Young Scholars\u00a0Academy\u00a0SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2006\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2006 SPARK Art Calendar<\/li>\n<li>2005\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Roosevelt Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2004\u2014SPARK Art Calendar, Graphic Excellence Awards, Best in Plant, Best in\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Category. Award of Excellence for SPARK Art Calendar, Coloring Book, and Postcards.<\/li>\n<li>2004\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, Tinsley Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2004\u2014Synergy Award &#8211; SPARK Executive Director, Kathleen Ownby<\/li>\n<li>2004\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2004 SPARK Art Calendar \u2013 Best in Plant, Best in Category Award of Excellence, SPARK Art Calendar, Coloring Book, and Postcards<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner, Honorable Mention for SPARK Parks at Alcott Elementary and Petersen Elementary\u00a0SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Travis Elementary recognized as a top five finalist in the Project for Public Spaces Great Parks Great Cities Award, Best New Park category<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Leadership Houston\u2019s Leaders In Action Award for Sharpstown High School\u00a0SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Trees For Houston Arbor Day Award for number of trees planted<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Park People Visionary Award<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2003 SPARK Art Calendar<\/li>\n<li>2002\u2014Graphic Excellence Award for 2002 SPARK Art Calendar<\/li>\n<li>2002\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award, 2nd\u00a0place for Osborne Elem. and Benavidez Elem. SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>2000\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award for Chambers Elem., Valley West\u00a0Elem., Wharton Elem., and Woodland Acres Elem. SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>2000\u2014Leadership in Action Award from Leadership Houston for the\u00a0Helms Learning Center SPARK Park in the Environmental category<\/li>\n<li>1999\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award for Poe Elem. and Carnegie\u00a0SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>1998\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award for Valley Oaks Elem., Lamar Elem.,\u00a0and Burbank Elem. SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>1998\u2014Leadership in Action Award from Leadership Houston for the Ridgecrest\u00a0Elem. SPARK Park in the environmental category<\/li>\n<li>1997\u2014Mayor\u2019s Proud Partner Award for Best Elem., Shadydale Elem.,\u00a0and Hererra Elem. SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>1997\u2014Shadydale SPARK Park &#8211; finalist Leadership Houston Leadership in Action Award<\/li>\n<li>1996\u2014Douglass Elementary SPARK Park named \u201cBest Park\u201d by The Houston Press<\/li>\n<li>1996\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partners Award for Douglass Elem., Cunningham\u00a0Elem., and Piney Point Elem. SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>1995\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partners Award for DeChaumes Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1995\u2014Leadership in Action Award from Leadership Houston for\u00a0&#8220;Atherton Elementary SPARK Park&#8221;, in The Cultural Arts\/Non-profit category<\/li>\n<li>1994\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partners Award for Sherwood Elem. SPARK Park\u00a0(first school selected in Spring Branch ISD)<\/li>\n<li>1994\u2014Leadership in Action Award from Leadership Houston for &#8220;Community\u00a0Funding and Support&#8221;, in The Economy\/Non-profit category<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor\u2019s Proud Partners Award for Codwell Elementary\/Crestmont\u00a0SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014The Travisaurus (dinosaur play structure) is featured along with the\u00a0artist\/designer on the cover of Museum and Arts Magazine, September issue<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014Leadership in Action Award from Leadership Houston for Travis\u00a0Elementary SPARK Park, in the Leadership and Volunteerism\/Non-Profit category.<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014Annual Award in the Government Category from The Greater\u00a0Houston \/Galveston Urban Forestry Council<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014Project Award from The Park People for parks at Travis Elementary and\u00a0B.T. Washington H.S.<\/li>\n<li>1992\u2014Eleanor Tinsley named Outstanding Proud Partner by Clean Houston at\u00a0the Eighth Annual Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partners Awards Luncheon.\u00a0 The development of the SPARK Program was cited as one of her significant contributions towards beautification in Houston.<\/li>\n<li>1992\u2014Action Award in the Youth category from Leadership Houston for\u00a0the Tijerina Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1992\u2014Four SPARK Parks, Garden Oaks, Tijerina, Rhoads, and Travis\u00a0were named by The Houston Chronicle in an article on Best Playgrounds.<\/li>\n<li>1992\u2014Urban Forestry Award from the Houston-Galveston Urban Forestry\u00a0Council for the SPARK Park at Ed White Elementary \/ Crain City Park.<\/li>\n<li>1991\u2014Proud Partner Awards from Clean Houston for the Ed White\u00a0Elementary and Rhoads Elementary SPARK Parks<\/li>\n<li>1990\u2014Project Award from The Park People for the Foerster Elementary\u00a0SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1989\u2014Proud Partner Award from Clean Houston<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>STATE AWARDS<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>2006\u2014Texas Government\/Agency Partnership Crystal Award<\/li>\n<li>2004\u2014Community Forestry Award from Texas Forest Service and Texas\u00a0Urban Forestry Council for Tinsley Elementary SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1999\u2014Community Forestry Award from Texas Forest Service and Texas\u00a0Urban Forestry Council for Cedar Brook\/ Edgewood SPARK Park<\/li>\n<li>1997\u2014Community Forestry Award from Texas Forest Service and Texas\u00a0Urban Forestry Council<\/li>\n<li>1987\u2014Award for Outstanding Service for Planning by a Texan from Outside\u00a0the Planning Profession to Eleanor Tinsley from The Texas Chapter\/American Planning Association.\u00a0 SPARK was one of her outstanding contributions cited in the award.<\/li>\n<li>1987\u2014Environmental Improvement Award given to SPARK and the\u00a0Franklin Elementary SPARK Park, by the Houston Chapter, American Institute of Architects, the Houston-Gulf Coast Section of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Houston Municipal Art Commission<\/li>\n<li>1987\u2014Environmental Stewardship Award from the Texas Chapter of the\u00a0American Society for Landscape Architects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>NATIONAL AWARDS<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>2003\u2014Travis Elementary recognized as a top five finalist in the Project for Public Spaces Great Parks Great Cities Award, Best New Park category<\/li>\n<li>1993\u2014National Environmental Achievement Award in the Public Lands and\u00a0Open Space Protection category from RENEW AMERICA.\u00a0 SPARK was one of twenty programs honored by Renew America at an Environmental Ball at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.<\/li>\n<li>1990\u2014James C. Howland Award for Urban Enrichment from the National League\u00a0of Cities.<\/li>\n<li>1988\u2014honored at the Democratic National Convention as the Texas example\u00a0of GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.<\/li>\n<li>1987\u2014presented at the Congress for Recreation and Parks.<\/li>\n<li>1986\u2014Recognized by the National League of Cities<\/li>\n<li>1986\u2014Recognized as a model project in the\u00a0 1986 AMERICA CAN!\u00a0REPORT ON MODEL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>2022\u2014Texas Children in Nature Network Summit, Austin, TX<\/li>\n<li>2015\u2014National Green Schoolyards Summit, Chicago, IL<\/li>\n<li>2015\u2014Active Living Research Conference, San Diego, CA<\/li>\n<li>2014\u2014Public Health &amp; the Built Environment: Healthy Communities by Design, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District<\/li>\n<li>2012\u2014Texas Association of Partners in Educations (TAPE), San Antonio, TX<\/li>\n<li>2012\u2014Greater and Greener Conference, City Parks Alliance, New York, NY<\/li>\n<li>2011\u2014City of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX<\/li>\n<li>2003\u2014American Forest Conference, San Antonio, TX<\/li>\n<li>2002\u2014NeoCon, World\u2019s Trade Fair for Interior Design &amp; Facilities Management\u00a0Chicago, IL<\/li>\n<li>2002\u2014Neighborhood USA Conference (NUSA), Houston, TX<\/li>\n<li>2001\u2014National Urban Forest Conference, Washington D.C.<\/li>\n<li>2001\u2014Neighborhood USA Conference (NUSA), Pittsburgh, PA<\/li>\n<li>2001\u2014Texas Recreation and Parks Symposium, (TRAPS) Del Lago, TX<\/li>\n<li>2001\u2014Administrators\u2019 Midwinter Conference on Education, Austin, TX<\/li>\n<li>2000\u2014Partner\u2019s in Education Convention, Houston, TX<\/li>\n<li>2000\u2014Texas Administrator\u2019s and School Board, (TASB) Houston, TX<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our hope is that this national attention will result in other cities being able to adapt our program to meet their needs.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In 2001 SPARK registered its trademark and signed a licensing agreement with Baton Rouge Green to oversee a SPARK Program at Banks Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.\u00a0 That park was completed and dedicated in September of 2002.<\/li>\n<li>In 2012 SPARK signed a licensing agree with San Antonio Sports to oversee a SPARK program in Southwest ISD; registration of that trademark is pending.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LOCAL AWARDS 2024 H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Awards, On-the-Ground Project Under $500k category &#8211; Martin Elementary SPARK Park 2022-Winner of Distinction, Award for Excellence, Better Business Bureau 2022-Kathleen Ownby, Scenic Houston&#8217;s 2022 Scenic Star Recipient 2019-Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Meador Elementary SPARK Park 2018 &#8211; Keep Houston Beautiful, Mayor&#8217;s Proud Partner Award, Raul Yzaguirre Schools for &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/about\/awards-and-honors\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":11,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"template-layout-full-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-276","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","no-post-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1464,"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/276\/revisions\/1464"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkpark.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}