Twelve Moore County youth will have the opportunity this summer to learn more about how local government works when the Moore County Government Leadership Academy holds its 2012 program.

The Leadership Academy, sponsored by the Moore County Public Information Office and Moore County 4-H, is a weeklong initiative that places select high school and college students in internships throughout various departments of the county government.

“Since its inception in 2010, the program has continued to improve and has become very popular in the Moore County community,” said Eli Arroyo-Allen, public information officer for the county. “Not only will the participants get exposure to the workings of the Moore County government organization, they will also be exposed to outside speakers from local venues that touch our community and improve our quality of life.”

Applications are now being accepted for the program, which begins with orientation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 1 at the Agricultural Center in Carthage. Internships occur Aug. 6-10 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., and graduates will be recognized on Aug. 21 during the monthly meeting of the Moore County commissioners. The cost for the program is $50 and includes all meals.

“Knowing your government can expand your knowledge and your ability to make a difference in your community,” Arroyo-Allen said. “The Leadership Academy program gives students a unique insight into the workplace in a fun and interactive way to see the inner workings of local government.”

Aayushi Patel, a rising senior at Pinecrest High School, participated in the program last summer.

“I spent one week each as an intern at the Department of Aging and at the Department of Public Safety,” she said. “It was a great experience at both places.

“At the Department of Aging, it was wonderful to see everyone so happy and so involved in the enriching programs they offer for the elderly, such as piano, ballroom dancing, bingo and more,” she said. “It was really interesting to listen to what the elders had to say and to learn what their lives were like. We live in a rich, beautiful county, but often we aren’t exposed to the many things behind that, such as the stories of these peoples’ lives. For some of them, the Department of Aging is like a safe harbor. They just need somewhere to go.”

Patel said the experience with EMS services through the Department of Public Safety was “eye-opening.”

“I learned what goes on behind the scenes, and what hard work goes into being an ambulance driver and providing EMS services to the public in general,” she said. “Learning what steps are taken to keep the public safe was an eye-opening experience, and my time in both departments made me realize how lucky we are to live in this great area.”

The deadline for submitting applications is July 15.

Program information and applications can be found at www.moorecountync.gov or may be obtained by contacting Arroyo-Allen or Mary Phillips at (910) 947-6363.

Contact John Lentz at (910) 693-2479 or by email at jlentz@thepilot.com.