Neighbor Academy

Anna's Neighbor Academy is a program designed for neighbors to learn more about the City and ways to become more involved in local government. Each cohort will include neighbors who are either new to civic engagement or have been actively volunteering in their neighborhood or with the City. This ten-session academy takes neighbors “behind the scenes” of City operations, programs, and initiatives. Participants will also be empowered to take action by planning and completing a community service project at the end of the program.

Upon graduation, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion, receive Anna Neighbor Academy Alumni status, and be officially recognized before the Anna City Council. 

Applications for the Fall cohort of 2023 close on August 18. Classes will begin on August 31.

Interested in being contacted once applications are open for the next academy? Please leave us your name and email and we'll make sure to contact you.

The Who

The Neighbor Academy is generally open to any Anna neighbor who wants to learn and be more engaged with their community.

Participants: 

• Must be an Anna resident
• Must not be running for political office during the course of the academy 
• Must be 18 or older - youth aged 16-17 may attend if accompanied by an adult enrolled in the current academy 

Class size is limited based on space availability and to encourage participants to interact with each other and with instructors.

The What

The Neighbor Academy is a free engagement and learning opportunity for Anna neighbors to become more active in and knowledgeable of their community and local government. The program has ten content sessions, including graduation and recognition by City Council.

The When & Where

Typically, the spring version of Neighbor Academy is in the mornings and the fall version of Neighbor Academy is in the evenings. The Fall 2023 academy will run Thursday evenings between August 31 and November 14. We will meet at different locations depending on the session and topic, but most meetings will be at the current City Hall. 

• Every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Graduation will occur in November
• Neighbors who complete the program will be recognized at a City Council Meeting

The Why

The purpose of the program is to inform, inspire, and empower neighbors to civically engage with the City of Anna, Council, and the greater Anna community.

• Learn about city operations and governance 
• Receive hands-on experiences in special civic engagement activities

The How

Sign up through the Neighbor Academy application.