Sandra Day O'Connor Institute For American Democracy

Founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor following her retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court, our nonpartisan nonprofit continues her distinguished legacy and lifetime work to advance American democracy through multigenerational civics education, civic engagement and civil discourse.

"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something." ~ Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

The Sandra Day O'Connor Institute for American Democracy is dedicated to lifelong learning for all generations that promotes the fundamentals and strength of our democracy. Preserving our republic requires educating all Americans on the structure and function of government together with the significance of their roles as engaged citizens. We take inspiration from Justice O'Connor-our founder and the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court. She was one of the few members of the Court to have served in all three branches of government. By building upon Justice O'Connor's powerful legacy, the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute for American Democracy guarantees that the ongoing work "to form a more perfect Union" will transpire in the name of an American icon who strove so fiercely for our nation's ideals. The O'Connor Institute's core values of nonpartisanship, objectivity, civility, inclusivity and fact-based content are the ethos behind all of our programming.

Since 2014, The O'Connor Institute has developed programming to prepare Arizona's youth for active citizenship through high-quality civics education. These programs promote not only knowledge of our government and history but also lifelong understanding of - and participation in - the functioning of our democracy. Camp O'Connor USA, is a free, merit-based summer program for middle school students with a mission to educate, encourage and inspire the next generation of leaders. Participants in our civics camp gain a deeper, experiential understanding of our nation's democracy, branches of government, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. The Civics Challenge is a free, online, national and academically focused civics competition. Students in 6th- 9th grades express their creativity and knowledge of civics through essays, music, visual art, poetry or videos. Participants choose from a variety of civics topics for their project, including: the three branches of government, checks and balances, citizenship and voting rights, or Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's history-making career. Entries are judged on accuracy, effectiveness, and creativity by a panel of judges that includes civics academics. Winning entries earn cash prizes. The O'Connor Ambassadors Civic & Debate Clubs promote civil discourse, civics education, and civic engagement for high school students. Offered nationwide as an online, guided program, Ambassadors will learn civil discourse skill sets to engage in civil debate, gain civics knowledge, hear from local elected officials, and perform a community service project. These engagement tools provide an environment that fosters respectful and constructive exchanges, where arguments are grounded in reason and evidence.

In 2023 we launched Civics for Life, the O'Connor Institute's new, national, online initiative. Civics for Life, can reach people of all ages across the nation through free, multigenerational, user-friendly, informative programs designed to increase participants' civics knowledge, develop the civil discourse skills and build confidence and inspiration to become more civically engaged. The Institute's programs provide for web-based deliberation, education, and pathways to participation as a means to bridge divides, seek common ground, and build greater understanding that can help mitigate political polarization and foster a healthier democracy. Designed to reach people of all ages, our free CivicsforLife.org online learning platform offers user-friendly civics education, civic engagement opportunities and civil discourse curricula. With the Institute's evidence-based curriculum, our programming promotes not only awareness of the issues of the day but also lifelong knowledge of and participation in the functioning of our democracy. The Institute offers a variety of webcasts and podcasts through Issues & Answers and the Conversation Series. Our online publication, Civics for Life Quarterly, delivers top-quality and compelling content on civics, and the Public Square, an online forum, demonstrates what civil and productive discourse and engagement looks like. Civics for Life visitors can expand or test their civics knowledge by enrolling in Civics 101, micro-lessons that are completely free, online, and available anywhere, anytime. From the fundamentals of our government and democracy to the elections process, lifelong adult learners can continue to expand their civics knowledge...