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Saturday, April 20, 2024
There’s nothing we love more than sharing our success stories. Today, we highlight more exciting leadership changes that the Community Services Department has undergone lately.
The beginning of Fiscal Year 24 saw the internal promotion of three incredible home-grown talents to three key positions within the Department.
Amy Bennett Promotes to Champions Club Operations Manager
In mid-October, Amy Bennett was promoted to Champions Club Operations Manager. Amy’s journey with Community Services spans over thirteen years, during which she has demonstrated unwavering dedication and a passion for excellence. Beginning from the ground up, Amy has steadily ascended through the ranks in the Community Services Department, showcasing her versatility in overseeing athletics, programs, camps, Club Metro, events, and more.
Amy’s leadership as the Assistant Recreation manager was pivotal in Champions Club’s successful launch and ongoing success. Venturing outside her comfort zone, she took charge of key revenue growth areas, steering the membership and fitness programs to unprecedented heights. Amy’s commitment to delivering world-class customer service is instrumental in fostering a thriving community within Champions Club.
Jennifer Blackstock Becomes New Recreation Programs Manager
Following a rigorous selection process that attracted numerous highly qualified candidates, Jennifer Blackstock was promoted to Recreation Programs Manager at the end of last year. Jennifer’s journey with the city began in 2018, and her strong leadership qualities have been evident since day one. Her tenacity and unwavering dedication to strong planning, staff training, and unparalleled pool safety and quality made her an outstanding Aquatics Supervisor. She will bring those qualities into her new role overseeing Southlake’s world-class recreation programs.
This promotion is a testament to her dedication, skills, and the positive impact she has made within the Community Services Department. We can’t wait to see what amazing things her team will accomplish under her leadership.
Zack Miller Steps Up as New Aquatics Supervisor
Zack Miller recently took over the Aquatics Supervisor position. Starting in a part-time role at the Marq, Zack’s journey exemplifies the City of Southlake’s commitment to fostering talent from within. Zack’s willingness to get involved, help solve departmental-wide problems, and commitment to world-class customer service helped him transition from a part-time Champions Club front desk employee to the full-time Aquatics Center Coordinator.
His technical knowledge and outstanding skills in aquatics have been a valuable asset, setting him up for success as he steps into the Aquatics Supervisor role.
Congratulations Amy Bennett, Jennifer Blackstock, and Zack Miller on your well-deserved promotions. These advancements signify the city’s dedication to promoting learning and growth!
The most wonderful time of the year is upon us. Many businesses are winding down for the holidays, but the Community Services Department is working hard to provide world-class holiday programming to residents of all ages.
Breakfast with Santa may have already passed, but there’s still a lot of holiday cheer to look forward to. We’re wrapping up the year with a bang, and we can’t wait to celebrate the holidays with all our residents. Here’s a quick overview of all the incredible holiday programs this month.
Club Metro Winter Palooza
Club Metro had a great year, and it’s all lead up to the Winter Palooza. Our participants will celebrate the holidays at Legends Hall on Wednesday, December 13 at 6:00 PM. Get ready to dance your socks off, eat delicious food, take photos with friends, and show off your ugliest holiday sweater! Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the celebration.
Seniors Holiday Party and Gift Exchange
There’s no merrier place than the Southlake Senior Activity Center. Bring your holiday cheer as we celebrate another successful year with a light lunch and a fun white elephant gift exchange on Thursday, December 14 from 11:30-1:00 PM. Limited spots remain.
Holiday Break Camp Mania- Christmas Week
Southlake’s favorite day camp is back to provide world-class structured and free play to your kiddos over the winter holidays. This program begins on Tuesday, December 26, and ends on Friday, December 29. Structured activities take place between 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Before and after care is provided free of charge from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM and from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM. While this popular program is already sold out, we know it will be a week worth celebrating!
Holiday Break Camp Mania- New Year’s Week
Wring in the New Year with Holiday Break Camp Mania. There’s no better way to kick off the New Year before heading back to school than with Camp Mania! Enjoy all the fun activities planned by our awesome staff. This program will sell out fast!
We look forward to celebrating the upcoming holiday weeks with our incredible residents. Thanks for another year of creating life-long memories with us!
See you in 2024!
E-Sports have found a home in Southlake, and the Ultimate Madden Showdown is the E-Sports Social event of the season!
Join us at the Legends Hall Ballroom on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, from 4:30-9:00 PM. Get ready to embark on an epic journey through the virtual gridiron with the most intense Madden tournament of the year! We’re bringing you the *Ultimate Madden Showdown*, where champions are forged, legends are born, and bragging rights are earned. This isn’t just a game; it’s a battle for supremacy on the virtual football field.
Participants can compete on the platform of their choice (PS5 or Xbox) to face off against the best Madden players from around DFW. Compete for the ultimate bragging rights and enjoy free food and drinks with friends!
Not a Madden virtuoso? Spectators are welcome to join in the fun! Come to support and cheer on players and witness the epic plays and nail-biting moments that only Madden can deliver. Food will be available to all, and a standby list will be available for tournament hopefuls.
Don’t miss out on the action! Join us for the Ultimate Madden Showdown and be part of the most electrifying Madden tournament of the year. It’s time to make history, one touchdown at a time. Are you ready for the showdown of a lifetime? Grab your controller, and let’s hit the virtual gridiron! Register today!
You have to be ready for anything in Parks and Recreation. Things can change constantly, and the best professionals are always ready to respond.
There’s a new face in the Programs Division, the new Programs Supervisor, Sara Farris! Sara recently joined us from the City of Denton and is already positively impacting the Community Services team! With extensive, city, recreation, and programming experience, we are lucky to have someone like Sara stepping into this critical position.
Let’s get to know her a bit better.
How long have you worked in municipal government?
I started working part-time for the City of Plano Parks and Recreation in July 2002 at Carpenter Park Recreation Center. I became full-time there in 2004. I was a Recreation Coordinator in charge of Adult classes. I then moved to the Tom Muehlenbeck Center in Plano in 2010 as the Lifeguard Coordinator, then became the Aquatic Supervisor in 2012. I left in 2016 to be the Recreational Care Supervisor in Denton. I came here in July 2023!
What’s your favorite part about working in Recreation?
My favorite part about working in recreation is getting to help people create memories. I love that it’s different every day, and the people are great!
What’s something everyone should know about programming?
Recreation programs are great if you are thinking about trying something new. You could pick up a new hobby, skill, or knowledge from taking one class. Get creative and expand your horizons!
What are you most looking forward to in this new position?
Summer Camp is always my favorite time of year. I am looking forward to meeting the campers and being a part of their amazing summer next year. I am also looking forward to expanding my programming knowledge with Club Metro.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I have a side hustle where I make shirts and personalized items in my free time. I also run and hang out with my kids. They are super involved in gymnastics and flag football!
Welcome to the team, Sara! We’re so happy to have you on board! Be on the lookout for the innovative and fun programs put together by Sara and her team!
Parks and recreation are all about enjoying the good parts of life, getting outside, and learning to play for fun. Those who choose a career in community services care deeply about providing services that allow our community to do the things they love the most.
July 21 is Park and Recreation Professionals Day, and we couldn’t let it go by without celebrating the world-class individuals who live out the work-hard, play-hard mentality every day. Throughout the month, we’ve been highlighting the different divisions that make up the Community Services Department, and today we are diving into the public service motivation that keeps our team at the top of their game daily.
When you work in the largest department in the city, it can be hard to stop and reflect on the incredible work your colleagues do, and we occasionally get siloed in our individual responsibilities. However, we know each team member is vital to fulfilling our mission of creating world-class experiences for our residents. On this Park and Recreation Professionals Day, we paused to ask one of our teammates what he loves most about his job.
Here’s what our Athletics Coordinator had to say:
“What I like about working in Parks and Rec is watching the kids I used to interact with as a counselor/attendant level grow up, develop their skills, and see them thrive in our programs and leagues. It’s even better when they remember me and they talk to me about how school is going or how much fun they are having in their sport. Seeing them enjoy themselves in our programs and leagues lets me know that we are doing the best job that we can for them and our community!” Luis Marquez, Athletics Coordinator
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Thank you to everyone in the Community Services Department. We’re lucky to be surrounded by world-class parks and recreation professionals who help our community grow every day!
It wouldn’t be Park and Recreation Month without celebrating the world-class efforts of our Recreation Division.
The Recreation team is the largest division of the Community Services Department. Their work makes our community stronger. From Athletics to Aquatics, these individuals go above and beyond to create life-long memories for our residents.
The City of Southlake boasts premier recreation facilities and programs, and the recreation professionals in charge of them take pride in delivering the best possible service. Whether you visit the Bob Jones Nature Center, Champions Club, or enroll in one of our programs, you’re bound to run into someone from the Recreation Division. Let’s learn more about their day-to-day.
Athletics: This mighty team runs our athletic leagues, hosts athletic clinics, programs, camps, and partners with our athletic associations to provide recreational athletics services to the Southlake community. They are naturally excellent teammates!
Aquatics: Our top-notch staff manages the award-winning Aquatics Center in Champions Club. Their priority is everyone’s safety while ensuring Champions Club members have access to fun aquatics programs.
Fitness and Performance: This energetic group is all about helping people develop healthy habits. They are happy to help Champions Club members on their fitness journey and always do it with a smile. Their can-do attitude makes everything they do look easy!
Guest Services: This team represents Champions Club to members and visitors daily. They care deeply about forming meaningful connections with our members and take pride in representing our premier recreation facility. Greet them at the Front Desk, and they will surely return the smile!
Marq Maintenance: You don’t become an award-winning facility without a fantastic maintenance team. This dedicated group of staff is responsible for facility safety, maintenance, contract management, and the custodial needs of The Marq Southlake.
Programs: This team is about creating outstanding programs for the entire community to enjoy. From Club Metro to Camp Mania, the Programs team is committed to creating world-class experiences for people to enjoy during their free time.
Happy Park and Recreation Month to the Community Services Recreation Division! This team represents where our community grows every day!
E-sports are getting more popular daily, and Champions Club is ready to stay ahead of the curb!
The hot summer months make playing outside seem dreary. Thankfully, sports enthusiasts have a fun opportunity to stay cool indoors, compete with friends, and see what the e-sports buzz is all about with Champions Club’s Summer E-Sport Socials!
Champions Club members, mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 28, Thursday, July 27, and Wednesday, August 23, at the Champions Club Hall of Fame 2 and 3 rooms from 4:30- 9:00 PM! Come and compete in the tournament-style Madden 23, NBA 2K23, and FIFA 23 competitions! Munch on yummy snacks while you socialize with old friends and new ones. Don’t want to compete? Enjoy free play or cheer on your buddies as they battle it out during the tournament.
This member-only event is open to Champions Club members aged 12-16. There is space for 20 participants to compete in the tournament, but all can attend! Don’t let a closed registration list deter you from showing up. Food will be available to all! Those not registered to compete will be added to the standby list for tournament hopefuls.
Are you ready to earn bragging rights and declare yourself the Summer E-Sports Social winner? Claim your competition spot today!
This week, Mayor John Huffman gets an update from Noor Mithwani, President of the Southlake Odyssey of the Mind Board, about their incredible successes since coming on the show in August.
In August 2022, Mayor John Huffman met with Noor Mithwani in the STEAM Lab at Carroll High to discuss the Odyssey of the Mind program and the yearly international competition. CISD has participated in Odyssey of the Mind for over a decade. Many schools nationwide and worldwide participate yearly in fun challenges encouraging team building, critical thinking skills, and having fun with peers
The last time we checked in with them, the Odyssey of the Mind group began its season, and they were looking for students to join. Mithwani says, “We started with 26 teams participating in our regional tournament at Carroll High School in Southlake. From then on, we have brought home 21 trophies — nine in first place, eight in second place, and four in third place.”
Twenty teams from CISD have advanced to the state tournament, where they will compete for one of two spots in the World Finals. Congratulations to the talented students in the Odyssey of the Mind program.
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Spring Break is less than a month away, but you can never plan too far in advance for Spring Break Camps.
We know you want your kiddos to stay active and engaged during school breaks in a fun and safe environment. Luckily for you, our Programs and Athletics teams are offering a variety of Spring Break Camps for every interest and hobby!
Check out these Athletic Camps for young athletes looking to sharpen their skills:
For those that are more into STEAM, we have the following educational camps:
Our programs are popular and they fill out fast. Register early to secure your spot for Spring Break.