GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — A graduation ceremony was held Thursday night at Bay Beach Amusement Park for Green Bay’s newest local government aficionados.
Every Thursday for the past two months, Green Bay City Hall Academy participants spent the evening getting an interactive, hands-on look into local government offices.
WTAQ’s Rachel Charniak took the class. After each session, she asked classmates to weigh in on their takeaways. Here’s what they said:
“I learned how important it is to the mayor to address the housing issues, he is passionate about that,” said Francesca Glaser.
“How much infrastructure and planning had to go into taking water from Lake Michigan, to treating it,” said Andrea Batten.
“I didn’t know you didn’t need a license for street performing, so that’s pretty cool!” said Pete Borchardt.
“We got to take the only electric bus in Green Bay to see different development projects,” said Logan Parrish.
“Seeing the old rides that used to be at the amusement park just gets you excited along with the new stuff that’s coming,” said Ethan Rouse.
“The effect that decriminalization of marijuana would have on K9’s. They’re trained a certain way and you can’t un-train them,” said Sly Chou.
“I had no idea about the cameras and computer systems that’s set up for the [traffic] lights and the walkways,” said Michael Hernandez.
The class provided the opportunity to talk to city leaders, like the mayor, and ask them questions, watch police demonstrations, check out all the giant public works vehicles, engage with election equipment and much more.
The city first began the program in 2023. Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich has now seen four rounds of City Hall Academy graduates, and has noticed a common theme.
“They’re just kind of overwhelmed by the number of services we provide and sometimes the complexity of the programs we offer, and the services we offer to citizens,” he said.
While the participants certainly learn a lot from the city leaders, Kerry Yang, Green Bay’s Community Liaison & Special Events Coordinator who oversees the City Hall Academy program, says the students end up helping the city, too.
“As they go on, they are advocates for the City of Green Bay; because now they know about the departments, and they know how things work,” said Yang. “It’s always nice for them to spread that information out into the public.”
To celebrate the end of the class, on Thursday night the students gathered at Bay Beach Amusement Park along with friends and family.
Several city leaders were there to present students with certificates of completion, and students were also gifted streets signs with their last names from the public works department.
Applications for the 2027 City Hall Academy will likely begin to be accepted in April next year.
