[LITTLE ROCK, AR, May 19, 2021] – The City of Little Rock, on Tuesday night, held a graduation for its second cohort of R.O.C.K. Academy participants. It took place at the beginning of the City of Little Rock Board of Directors Meeting.

An acronym for Residents Obtaining Community Knowledge, R.O.C.K. Academy is a six-week course aimed at giving Little Rock residents a closer look at the inner workings of City government and prompting civic engagement through service on boards and commissions or volunteering.

The virtual sessions, held on Thursday evenings at 6 p.m., were:

• Government 101 – An overview of City government.
• Dollars and Sense – A look at the budgeting process and economic development.
• Safety in the City – Meet those working to keep the city safe.
• Little Rock Building Blocks – Hear from Planning and Development, Public Works and Housing and Neighborhood Programs departments.
• Living in Little Rock – Focuses on quality of life topics such as Parks and Recreation, the Little Rock Zoo and sustainability measures.
• Community Care – Learn about City-supported social service programs and other resources.

Launched in 2020, R.O.C.K. Academy is held twice a year.

The spring 2021 graduates are:

“Congratulations to this group of dedicated residents who completed R.O.C.K. Academy,” Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said. “They and other engaged residents of Little Rock are key as we work to Unite Little Rock so that we can reach our full potential. I look forward to welcoming future cohorts and seeing more residents gain a deeper understanding of how their government works for them.”

After completing the Academy, several participants stated their plans to volunteer in/at various programs they learned about during the sessions.

“I thought I was joining this class to learn how to be better involved in my neighborhood association,” Geneva Galloway said during brief comments to the board. “Instead, I learned so much more about all aspects of Little Rock. I also enjoyed getting to meet people from all seven wards and hearing their perspectives and thoughts.”

Little Rock residents interested in attending a future R.O.C.K. Academy course may sign up at LittleRock.gov/ROCK Academy. Email confirmations will be sent before the classes begin. The next cohort will start in the autumn of 2021.