July 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 73

Member Spotlight:
Jodi Ackerman
By Lindsay Collins

odi Ackerman is a community center programmer for Lansing, Michigan Parks and Recreation. The community center serves several roles,
including food pantry, tutoring lab and library. It also provides programming, such as activities and daily lunches for seniors and classes from
jiu jitsu to dance. Ackerman's focus is on out-of-school time programs for
kids of elementary age. She also oversees summer and spring break camps.
The community center also partners with the Lansing School District to offer a late-start Wednesday program, for which teaching staff come to offer
enrichment programming with the support of the park and rec staff. While
Ackerman is only stationed at one center, she oversees programs for all four
of Lansing's community centers. During the summer weekdays, each site
hosts 10½ hours per days of camp for about 60 kids.
Parks & Recreation magazine spoke
with Ackerman to learn about the
summer camps and what the job
means to her.

Parks & Recreation: We learned
you take your summer campers
on trips, including a big trip to
the Michigan State Capitol. Tell
us a bit about that?
Jodi Ackerman: We have eight
weeks of summer camp, and we
take kids on a trip every week,
which is included in the cost of
the camp. One of the trips is to
the Michigan State Capitol as part
of our Michigan Recreation and
Parks Association kickoff to Park
and Recreation Month. Because
we tend to bring the most kids, we
are there in the morning and other camps come in the afternoon.
There's a bunch of different activity stations to participate in - some
are run by organizations such as
the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and
Blue Cross Blue Shield. Lansing
Park and Recreation actually runs
an activity station. It's anyone who

wants to promote outdoor recreation, education, and health and
wellness and just want to get kids
active. It's hosted by the No Child
Left Inside Coalition, and this is
the eighth annual Come Outside
and Play at the Capitol event.
P&R: You mentioned that the trip
serves as your kickoff for Park
and Rec Month. What are some
of the other ways your agency
celebrates?
Ackerman: We have a family scavenger hunt. It's a digital hunt that
takes place all through the month
of July and gets people outside in
our parks doing different family
activities, visiting different sponsors, and just getting outside and
familiar with different parks and
activities that are available. A lot
of things throughout the hunt are
provided free or are low cost.
P&R: What is the most rewarding
part of your job?
Ackerman: I think seeing the growth
in the campers and our staff. Many

of the staff are college-aged students. It's amazing to see them grow
from year to year - or even from
the start of summer to the end of
summer - in their skills and their
abilities. We have an awesome opportunity to give kids experiences
and help them develop skills and relationships that they don't get from
other places. Things that aren't going to happen in school and may or
may not happen if they join a sports
team. It's a really cool way for kids
with a variety of backgrounds, skills
and interests to be able to come together and build community. Seeing
them develop as individuals and as
a group is amazing.
P&R: Do you have any stories
that come to mind you can share
with us?
Ackerman: I was a camp counselor
back about 20 years ago, and one
of my first campers who walked up
the first day - I was nervous, she
was nervous - is now one of my
staff members who's worked for me
for several years. Actually, she and
her brother both work for me, and
he has kids of his own who come
to camp. There are other kids who
were campers with us who have become staff. It's really gratifying to
know that it has made a difference
in their life and that they want to
give back in that same way.
- Lindsay Collins, Associate Editor
for Parks & Recreation magazine

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