Desert Hot Springs honors Future Leaders and Civics Academy graduates

The City Council of Desert Hot Springs recognized two youth and adult civic programs during its Dec. 2 meeting, presenting certificates to Future Leaders program graduates and the third graduating class of the Desert Hot Springs Civics Academy.

Roberta Cernick, the city’s recreation and community services director, introduced the Future Leaders graduates and said the class — the largest yet — had the opportunity to "draft their own staff report and got to participate in a mock city council meeting." Emily Haker, who led the Civics Academy, told the council, "My name is Emily Haker. And I'm here tonight to honor a group of residents that I've had the pleasure of working with this fall," and described the seven-week curriculum that familiarizes participants with city departments and local government procedures.

Program participants who spoke at the meeting said they valued one-on-one mentoring and direct exposure to city operations. One Future Leaders student said the program allowed them to work with engineers on a staff report and "learn how the city runs and how it works because it's all behind the scenes." City staff said the Civics Academy is free, nonpartisan and intended to address misinformation by teaching factual knowledge about local government.

Council members and staff stressed the programs’ role in building civic literacy and local leadership pipelines. The council thanked staff who volunteered as mentors and encouraged community members to apply for future sessions. The presentations concluded with certificates for graduates and a round of applause.

The recognitions were purely ceremonial; no formal council action was required. The council then proceeded to the evening’s regular agenda.