The Fountain Hills Leadership Academy (FHLA) is now accepting applicants for its 2025 class.

Now in its ninth year, this comprehensive experience is a community program offered through the non-profit I Love Fountain Hills and is designed to develop better-informed citizens, according to a press release.

The eight-week course provides participants with an interactive immersion into the town’s governmental processes, civic and community services, public safety, environmental management and more.

Approximately 15 people will be selected for the FHLA class nine, which will run from mid-September through mid-November.

To date, 115 graduates have gone through the program, many of whom have assumed leadership roles in the town government, volunteer organizations and businesses.

This year’s Leadership Academy will start with a brief orientation and reception Thursday, Sept. 11, and ends with a graduation ceremony after the completion of the last session in mid-November.

Classes take place every Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Along the way, participants will meet and engage with community leaders, share ideas about the future of Fountain Hills and learn how they can pursue many opportunities to get involved and give back through their leadership skills.

Class participation fee is $250 per student and, upon graduation, students must commit to help plan the following year’s program.

The general sessions are as follows:

Know Your Town Government, Nonprofits/Business Development, Public Safety, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Fountain Hills Unified School District, Environmental Stewardship/Community Services, Sanitary District/Fountain Park and I Love Fountain Hills.

For graduation, class participants work together to create presentations on community initiatives they would like to develop, many of which have come to fruition through the years.

“As we celebrate the ninth year of the FHLA, this year’s Planning Committee brings an undeniable sense of excitement and energy,” said Rory Wilson, an alumnus of FHLA class six and current chair of the FHLA Board. “Through engaging sessions and collaborative projects, participants are empowered to deepen their knowledge and take meaningful steps toward lasting change in Fountain Hills.”

This year’s planning committee is made up of class eight alumni under the leadership of Joanne Colella and Nick Proctor and guided by board members and class seven alumni Frank Colella and Carleen Watts.

Residents of Fountain Hills and surrounding communities who are interested in learning more about their town and getting involved are invited to apply for this extensive leadership information program at ilovefountainhills.org/leadership-academy/.

The application deadline is Thursday, May 15.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for local businesses to show their support for the program through monetary and in-kind donations.