Justice O'Connor's Digital Legacy: An Award, an App & a Civic Reboot

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 04, 2025

In a crowded conference hall filled with the nation's leading social studies educators, Shari Conditt, a 25-year veteran US History teacher from Woodland, Washington, was named the inaugural recipient of The Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Prize for Excellence in Teaching Civics. But this award, presented by the civic education nonprofit iCivics, signifies more than just a tribute to an exemplary teacher. It represents a critical milestone in a tech-driven mission, conceived by Justice O'Connor herself, to revitalize civic understanding in an era of digital distraction and deep-seated polarization.

Established by the Justice's former law clerks, the prize honors what O'Connor considered her most important legacy: the founding of iCivics. Unveiled as the nation gears up for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the award highlights a crucial intersection of technology, pedagogy, and democratic preservation. It’s a story not just of one teacher's success, but of a strategic, scalable intervention designed to re-engage an entire generation with the machinery of their own government.

The Architect of Modern Civics

When Justice O'Connor retired from the Supreme Court, she observed a concerning trend: a growing disconnect between American citizens and the institutions that govern them. A 2016 survey, for example, found that only 26% of Americans could name all three branches of government. O'Connor recognized that traditional, textbook-based civics education was failing to capture the attention of young people. Her solution was not to simply advocate for more funding or curriculum changes, but to meet students where they were: online.

In 2009, she founded iCivics with a clear, innovative vision: leverage the power of interactive technology and game-based learning to make civics engaging, accessible, and effective. This was not just about digitizing lesson plans; it was a fundamental rethinking of how to teach the core tenets of democracy. The organization developed a suite of free, nonpartisan online games like Win the White House, Do I Have a Right?, and Argument Wars, which allow students to simulate running a presidential campaign, operating a constitutional law firm, and arguing landmark Supreme Court cases.

The impact has been substantial. Today, iCivics is the largest provider of civic education curriculum in the United States, reaching an estimated 9 million students and nearly 150,000 educators annually across all 50 states. With over 200 million total game plays, its platform has become a cornerstone of modern social studies instruction, demonstrating a scalable, tech-driven solution to a systemic educational challenge. The organization's success lies in its ability to translate complex governmental processes into interactive experiences that build not just knowledge, but practical skills and a sense of civic agency.

A Blueprint for Engagement: The Inaugural Laureate

If iCivics provides the digital tools, teachers like Shari Conditt are the master craftspeople who use them to build engaged citizens. A National Board Certified Teacher and a member of the iCivics Educator Network, Conditt embodies the bridge between digital learning and real-world impact. Her classroom at Woodland High School is a laboratory for applied civics, where theoretical knowledge is consistently put into practice.

Her teaching philosophy moves far beyond the screen. Conditt's students recently designed, advertised, and moderated a Woodland mayoral debate that drew 150 local citizens, transforming a classroom assignment into a vital community service. They have also established "Power Hours," forums where community members can engage in civil discourse on contentious local issues like zoning laws. These projects are the tangible output of a pedagogy that emphasizes action, compromise, and civic virtue. "The American Revolution was more than a series of battles leading to independence," Conditt noted in a previous statement on her teaching philosophy. "It was a movement that emphasized the importance of creating and maintaining a government that represents the people's interests and amplifies their voices."

By empowering students to organize public forums and engage directly with policymakers, she is not just teaching them about democracy; she is guiding them to practice it. This hands-on approach, which has also earned her titles like the 2024 Bill of Rights Institute National Civics Teacher of the Year, demonstrates the profound ROI of investing in skilled educators who can translate innovative tools into meaningful, community-altering outcomes.

Decoding a National Decline

The work of iCivics and educators like Conditt is set against a troubling national backdrop. While recent surveys show some improvement in adult civic knowledge, data on student proficiency reveals a persistent crisis. According to the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the "Nation's Report Card," the average civics score for eighth-graders saw its first-ever decline. A mere 22% of students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level.

Experts point to a confluence of factors for this anemic state of civic learning. An intense K-12 focus on STEM, reading, and math has often marginalized social studies. Funding for civics is a fraction of that for other subjects, and many teachers lack adequate support and content-specific training. Furthermore, deepening political polarization has turned curriculum reform into an ideological battleground, stalling progress and making it difficult to agree on what and how to teach.

It is within this challenging environment that nonpartisan, tech-based platforms like iCivics become indispensable infrastructure. By offering free, high-quality, and politically neutral resources, they bypass some of the political and financial roadblocks that stymie reform at the state and district levels, providing a vital lifeline for under-resourced schools and overburdened teachers.

A Nation's Reboot: Civics and the Semiquincentennial

The timing of the inaugural O'Connor Prize is no coincidence. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, a nationwide effort known as America250 is underway to not only commemorate the past but also to catalyze a renewal of civic commitment. Federal institutions from the National Archives—which is launching a major "Revolution 250" exhibition—to the White House are spearheading initiatives aimed at education, engagement, and unity.

The Justice Sandra Day O'Connor Prize slots perfectly into this national movement. It serves as a powerful symbol, celebrating the frontline individuals who are foundational to the country's democratic health. By recognizing and elevating the work of teachers like Shari Conditt, Seth Harris of New York, and Dr. Shelina Warren of Washington, D.C.—the two award finalists—iCivics is creating a cohort of ambassadors for a more engaged and informed citizenry. The award, born from a Justice's technological foresight, is now a key part of preparing the nation not just to celebrate its history, but to actively shape its future.