BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — During the month of November, the City of Bismarck will accept application for the third class of the Bismarck Citizen Academy.

According to a news release, the applications can be submitted online, but must be done before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, November 30.

This academy is an interactive way for citizens to learn about their municipal government, as people learn about various City departments and will get a behind-the-scenes look at a bunch of facilities throughout the city each week.

It runs for 12 weeks, beginning on Thursday, January 4, 2024. The classes are from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Thursdays in January, February, and March.

After the last week, those who participated will be recognized at the regular Bismarck City Commission meeting on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

“The Citizen Academy serves as another way the City of Bismarck provides transparency for our citizens,” said Jason Tomanek, the assistant city administrator. “We have received a lot of really good feedback from people who have attended the first two Citizen Academies, and there is a real consensus that this is a pretty unique experience to learn about the City and its staff who provide a variety of services each day.”

Only 20 people will be chosen to participate, so residents, business owners, or students that are interested need to meet the criteria to apply.

You must be at least 18 years old, must be able to attend all sessions, and only one person per household is allowed.

When the application window closes, the applications will be scored, and the top 20 people, along with two alternates, will be notified in December.

Those people then need to go to the City-County building to get an identification badge and a binder that will have all the handouts for the 12 weeks.

You can find more information about the academy here.