Residents of New Haven, Connecticut, can take a class this fall on how local government works.
It’s called the Democracy School. Classes include topics like public safety and economic development. Teachers are city officials, and the goal is to encourage students to become community leaders and advocates.
Students might attend Board of Education meetings or meet with Mayor Justin Elicker, who’s an alumnus of the class. Elicker says it was one of the ways he started to get involved with the city, years before he became mayor.
This year it’s meeting on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials say the class is limited to 20 students. The class includes seven sessions and runs through September and October.
