20 Graduate From Citizens Academy

Twenty local citizens recently graduated from the annual St. Mary’s County Government Citizens Academy.

The citizens academy program aims to allow citizens to gain a greater insight into how county government operates on a daily basis. The citizens spent seven Tuesday evenings during the fall at various county government facilities.

The academy is held each fall and offers up to 25 citizens an opportunity to learn how the county’s nine departments function on a daily basis. The popular program just wrapped up its third year.

Photo Courtesy the St. Mary’s County Public Information Office
The recent graduates of the 2016 St. Mary’s County Government Citizens Academy.

The graduates were honored at a reception and ceremony where they received certificates of completion. A number of graduates also earned continuing education credits from the College of Southern Maryland as a result of participating in the academy.

For one graduate, the citizens academy proved to be a life-changing experience.

“Before I started the citizens academy, my husband and I were renting our home,” said academy graduate Betty Seaman. “Since then we have decided to purchase a home here in St. Mary’s County. This was a direct result of my participation in the academy.”

The St. Mary’s County commissioners say the academy offers participants a chance to get more involved in county government.

“The academy has yielded a number of graduates who have gone on to become active on a number of our commissions,” Commissioner President Randy Guy said. “The program gives them a taste of everything we do for county residents daily while offering opportunities to serve our county on an ongoing basis.”

The next St. Mary’s County Citizens Academy is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Academy sessions are held in September and October. Applications to participate will become available in early July. Participants must be residents of St. Mary’s County and at least 18 years old.