City's Civics Education Program Wins Florida Municipal Achievement Award

The City of Delray Beach has been selected by the Florida League of Cities (FLC) as a recipient of their 2011 Florida Municipal Achievement Award - Florida Citizenship Award. This award recognizes the City’s innovation and excellence in developing civics educational programs for the Delray Beach community.

The FLC’s Florida Municipal Achievement Awards are presented to Florida municipalities in recognition of their superior and innovative efforts in three award categories - Citizenship, City Spirit and Environmental Stewardship. This honor was awarded to Delray Beach for its Connecting with Our Schools - Civics Education in Delray Beach Program, which consists of various civics educational programs that are offered by the City to residents of all ages - from students to retirees.

The City developed four (4) civics outreach initiatives that offer interactive programs/activities to promote a stronger knowledge of local government. Included in this effort are the Residents Academy - Bi-annual course that has educated more than 450 attendees; High School Student Residents Academy - Educates high schoolers about local government functions and responsibilities; Carver Middle School Mock Election/Commission Meeting - Practical learning experience about campaigning, voting and the decision-making processes; and Palm Beach County Teacher Training Day - A program to educate teachers who then teach students the importance of local government.

“This award provides recognition for our long-term and comprehensive efforts in developing educational programs for our community,” stated City Manager David T. Harden. “We are pleased to receive this significant honor on behalf of our organization and our community.”

These types of programs contribute to the City Commission’s continued efforts to meet its Strategic Goal of “Quality Educational Opportunities.” Further, they serve as an economic development tool to strengthen the City’s competitive future by creating an educational environment that assists in preserving the high quality of life within Delray Beach.

The extensive civics and local government training resources and tools that are available from the City and the FLC are provided here on the City’s website. These tools are not only useful for citizens and teachers within Palm Beach County, but they can also be utilized by educators around the state.

Florida League of Cities - Quality Cities Magazine - 2011 Florida Municipal Achievement Award