City and AISD launch new civic leadership program

City and AISD launch new civic leadership program

By Mary Tuma Wednesday, 17 February 2010

In September, local high school seniors will have the option to opt for a crash course in civic life. A new year-long elective class, proposed by Mayor Lee Leffingwell during his last campaign, will offer a focus on local government and hands-on experience at City Hall. Students will meet twice a week with city policy makers, participate in a mentored internship with the city and work on community projects in small groups, according to a news release.

Dubbed AustinCorps, the leadership development program is a partnership between Leffingwell, City Manager Marc Ott, Austin Independent School District Superintendent Meria Carstarphen and AISD Board of Trustees President Mark Williams.

Carstarphen said AustinCorps will help AISD students learn to appreciate the important role of local government.

“The decisions made at City Hall are central to our daily lives in ways many of us don’t always appreciate,” said Carstarphen. “AustinCorps will offer our students a rare chance to see local government in action up close, and I fully expect it to make a lifelong impact.”

The inaugural AustinCorps class will last nine months, beginning at the start of the 2010-2011 school year, and cover a total of 10,000 hours at City Hall and in the community. It will be open to 50 students from Crockett and Akins High School. Juniors at the two schools can apply in the 2010-2011 class beginning this week.

Partners plan to seek out corporate sponsorships for AustinCorps over the next few months to help pay for anticipated program expenses such as transportation, uniforms, and administration.