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Huber Heights completes first Citizens Academy; staff report full satisfaction among graduates
Summary
Sarah Williams and Alex Zahara reported the inaugural Citizens Academy drew 49 applicants for 25 spots, ran seven weeks with 14 hours per participant and had 20 graduates; participant surveys showed high satisfaction and increased civic engagement.
City communications coordinator Sarah Williams and Assistant City Manager Alex Zahara presented results from Huber Heights’ first Citizens Academy.
"When we opened the application, we ended up with 49 applicants for 25 spots," Williams said. She told council that 25 had been selected, four were unable to participate and alternates were used; officially 20 participants graduated after a seven-week program that involved roughly 14 hours of classroom time per person. Williams said post-program surveys recorded "100% satisfaction" among participants and that graduates reported feeling more informed and connected to city operations.
A former student, Charles Hancock, told council the program helped counter misinformation on social media by giving residents direct access to department staff and operations. Council members praised the program and asked about posting portions or materials online and expanding content areas such as finance.
