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Amanda builds literacy that strengthens her students’ civic decision-making

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My main drive as an educator is to teach literacy as a way of understanding the world. My focus is not just reading and writing, but building literacy in how students navigate the internet, politics, and the world around them. It’s about vetting sources, understanding if what you’re reading is biased, and extrapolating from it meaning that can apply elsewhere. 

The Civic Star Challenge speaks to those same goals. Literature always has a historical context, and it’s crucial for understanding the meaning of a text. Today, we’re bombarded with information every day. How do you decide what is relevant and actionable? This decision-making is at the heart of civic engagement.

Visual literacy is an element of the AP English test. And one of my favorite lessons in my AP seminar and research classes is around identifying patriotism and nationalism in visual media. We start by defining both terms in class. It’s often an unexpected challenge for the students: as one recently said, “I’ve never thought of those two things as being different.” And I thought, “Oh, you’re getting the lesson before I take you there! You’re doing it yourself!”

Then we turn to Merriam-Webster, where the differences are much more stark:

patriotism: love for or devotion to one’s country

nationalism: an ideology that elevates one nation or nationality above all others and that places primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations, nationalities, or supranational groups

Now the students are tasked with finding examples of both patriotism and nationalism in the media – and with finding  examples that demonstrate the differences between the two. We look at 50 images together and analyze them, from WWII political cartoons to t-shirts sold at Walmart. Sometimes the line is really clear. It can manifest as xenophobia or isolationism in a racist post. But other times, it’s subtler and harder to define – like using the flag for marketing products and services that have nothing to do with being a patriot. This iconography is powerful and effective because it’s so deeply connected to our love of country. But as one student said, “They’ll turn anything into a flag! Is this patriotism or is it just pandering?”

Right now, disagreeing with politicians can be seen as unpatriotic. I believe patriotism is about loving your country so much that you are willing to work to make it better, even when that work is unpopular. Most of my students are 18 years old, finally able to vote and make other decisions about how they want to live their lives. I want them to know that there are many ways to be a patriot. As I often tell them, “You can plant trees under which shade you will never sit. Planting the trees for the next people – that’s what it means to be a good person and a good American.”

About Amanda

  • Teaching experience: 19 years teaching at her Alma mater high school 
  • Currently teaching: AP seminar, AP Research, AP Language, AP Literature, and English 4

The greatest pride of Amanda Pidgeon’s professional life is having spent her 19-year career teaching English at the high school from which she graduated. Amanda has been STAR teacher 4 times and was named teacher of the year at her school in 2024.

This Civic Learning Week, Small is Mighty

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In just a couple weeks, classrooms, libraries, museums, statehouses, and community centers across the country will light up with learning and engagement for Civic Learning Week (March 9–13). We are optimistic that this year’s Civic Learning Week will be another important “fluorescent moment for civics,” in which thousands of local activities across all 50 states paint a national picture of support for civic learning and engagement.

Educators and communities, by their everyday actions in and out of classrooms, have knit together our civic fabric since the inception of our country. Today—when trust in institutions is fragile, misinformation often travels faster than facts, and polarization continues to tear at that very civic fabric—education could not matter more. This is a powerful representation of the “small is mighty” ideal at the core of the American experiment. 

Co-hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project, this year’s Civic Learning Week will kick off with the National Forum on March 9 and 10 in Philadelphia. Gathering in the city where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed is a deliberate choice—Philadelphia is where the American experiment was fully articulated and, 250 years later, we ask and answer what it now requires of us. 

Under the theme Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250, the Forum will bring together educators, students, policymakers, researchers, and civic leaders from across sectors to confront the real questions facing constitutional democracy in the United States today:

  • How do we cultivate pluralism in polarized times?

     

  • How do we maintain the importance of human connection in civic learning and equip students to navigate the democracy and economy of the AI age?

     

  • How can states and districts move beyond minimum civics requirements to meaningful civic outcomes?

     

  • What would it look like to make civic learning as central to education as literacy and numeracy?

We will showcase state-level progress—33 states strengthening K–12 civic education over the past 5 years; 37 states now requiring civics course time for graduation; and 44 states offering civics-related professional development. And we will press forward on what remains unfinished.

We will highlight the growing body of evidence that civic learning strengthens not only a meaningful understanding of our history and civic infrastructure, but also the “four Cs” employers consistently demand: critical thinking; communication; collaboration; and creativity. Across the country, community partners are creating service-learning opportunities that connect young people to real-world problem-solving. Governors are spotlighting new legislation. Museums are hosting public readings of founding texts. District leaders are integrating the Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy into curriculum planning. 

This is not only activity, it is palpable momentum for a growing movement. Our nation recognizes the need to educate for citizenship. This is new and important. Local, community-oriented actions are mighty when it comes to civic engagement: A classroom discussion. A local forum. A new exhibit at a museum. A social media campaign to highlight the values of the Declaration. These moments build our civic strength and our commitment to democracy.

The semiquincentennial is not just a commemoration. It is a generational opportunity. 

Civic Learning Week is our chance to move from reflection to resolve. The kindergartners entering school today will graduate in 2038, the 250th anniversary of the Constitution’s ratification. What civic foundation will they stand on?

Democracy does not renew itself. It is taught. Practiced. Protected.

And it begins—again—in classrooms and communities across the United States.

iCivics is the managing partner of Civic Learning Week, which is further supported by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences; Bezos Family Foundation; Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at the Hoover Institution; Daniels Fund; Democratic Knowledge Project; Ibis Group; Jack Miller Center; MacArthur Foundation; Maher Charitable Foundation; Microsoft; More Perfect; National Council for the Social Studies; and Stuart Foundation.

Thomas B. Griffith

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Thomas B. Griffith served on the U. S. Court of Appeals for the D. C. Circuit — often referred to as “the second most important court in the land” — for fifteen years. Before that he was the nonpartisan chief lawyer for the U. S. Senate and the General Counsel at Brigham Young University. President Biden appointed Judge Griffith to his Commission on the Supreme Court. Currently, Judge Griffith is a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, works closely with Utah Governor Spencer Cox on his Disagree Better initiative, and is a member of the Board of Directors of iCivics.

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Matthew Botvinick

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Matthew Botvinick is Senior Director of Research and Senior Technology and Policy Advisor at Google DeepMind. He joined DeepMind in 2016 after twenty years in academia, starting with a Ph.D. in the Neural Basis of Cognition from Carnegie Mellon University, followed by faculty positions at University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. Botvinick has authored more than 150 peer reviewed articles, spanning AI, deep learning, reinforcement learning, cognitive science and computational neuroscience. Botvinick holds an M.D. degree from Cornell University with board certification in Psychiatry. Alongside his work at Google DeepMind, he is currently a Resident Fellow at Yale Law School.

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Barbara Jenkins

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Barbara Jenkins, Ed.D., has been dedicated to serving the needs of students for more than 30 years. In 2012 she was named superintendent for Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), the eighth largest district in the nation, proudly serving 206,000 students. She retired from OCPS in December 2022.

Under Jenkins’ leadership, the district won the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education.  The district also received the Governor’s Sterling Award and attained District Accreditation from AdvancED for its best practices in the education field.  The Sustained Excellence Award was attained for exemplary performance using research-based best practices in business. The district passed a second half-penny sales tax referendum for capital projects totaling $2.4 billion and two property tax referenda for operations projected at $1.2 billion to support a $5.5 billion annual budget.  Most importantly, the district reached an unprecedented graduation rate of 97% for traditional high schools during her tenure.

A highly recognized education leader, Jenkins received a presidential appointment to the National Board of Education Sciences in 2017 and received the Baldridge Foundation Award for Leadership Excellence in 2022.  She has served as Chairman of the Board for the Council of Great City Schools, representing the nation’s large urban districts.  Jenkins is a Chief in Residence and leader of the Women in Leadership initiative of Chiefs for Change, a national bipartisan group of district and state education leaders dedicated to the success of our nation’s youth. Jenkins also serves on the board of trustees and chairs the audit committee for ETS, the world’s largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization.

Deeply engaged in the community, Jenkins has served on the boards of Advent Health, Orlando Economic Partnership, United Arts of Central Florida, Central Florida Regional Commission on Homelessness and the Orange County Youth Mental Health Commission. Jenkins is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.

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Jennifer Jewell

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 Jennifer joined iCivics as Chief Financial Officer in June 2025, bringing more than 20 years of nonprofit financial leadership to the organization. In this role, she is responsible for providing strategic oversight of iCivics’ finance and operations functions. Jennifer collaborates closely with the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and senior staff to drive the organization’s financial growth and operational excellence.

Prior to joining iCivics, Jennifer served as Chief Financial Officer at JVS Boston, a prominent workforce development organization. During her nine-year tenure, she played a pivotal role in driving the organization’s financial growth and diversifying its funding model, which contributed to a doubling of its annual budget to $30 million.

Jennifer’s experience spans several national nonprofit organizations. As Managing Director of Finance and Operations at the National Center on Time and Learning, she led financial and operational functions across four related education reform organizations. Additionally, Jennifer served as Senior Director of Finance and Regional Operations at KIPP Massachusetts, where she supported the growth of the network from one to five schools. Earlier in her career, Jennifer held the position of Director of Accounting Operations at City Year, Inc., where she designed scalable systems to support the expansion of multiple sites nationwide.

Jennifer holds a B.A. in Business Administration – Management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Public Administration, with a concentration in Nonprofit Administration, from San Francisco State University. She is also an alumna of the 2010 Lead Boston cohort.

Outside of her professional work, Jennifer is deeply committed to community service. She resides north of Boston with her husband and son and actively volunteers with several organizations. 

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Tyce Henry

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Tyce Henry is a managing director at Alvarez & Marsal.

In his prior role, he was a leader in Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) Education & Employment practice and in BCGU, a BCG business unit that develops and delivers high-impact learning and development experiences for clients.

During his 20-year career with BCG, Henry drove transformative change with clients including education technology firms, curriculum and assessment providers, universities, K-12 school systems, and private equity investors.

Henry specializes in growth strategy; turnaround and restructuring efforts; investment due diligence and portfolio strategy; and scale up of change efforts through client enablement and training.

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Civics as Invitation

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There’s a moment, just before a student raises their hand, when you see the wheels turning. A flicker of hesitation, the weighing of whether their thought is worth sharing. And then—if the classroom is the right kind of space—confidence wins, and the question, the insight, the challenge spills into the air. I saw that moment over and over again this week in classrooms where teachers were using iCivics to guide discussions on democracy, governance, and civic responsibility.

It’s easy to talk about civic education in broad strokes. We know the statistics, the declining trust in institutions, the polarization. But in these classrooms, the conversation was immediate, alive. Students debated real-world court cases, mapped out the branches of government, stepped into the roles of legislators and advocates. And in the center—calm, nimble, engaged—were the teachers.

Teachers do more than instruct. They hold space for tough conversations, model engagement with disagreement, help students see the weight of their voices. In one classroom, a student hesitated before responding to a classmate’s argument. The teacher let the moment breathe. Eventually, she spoke—not just to counter but to build on the idea. That small thing was the foundation of civic engagement: listening, considering, responding with purpose.

How do you teach civic courage? How do you help young people feel the power of participation in a system that can seem too large, too distant, too broken? The teachers I observed weren’t delivering grand speeches or prescribing a single way to engage but creating conditions where students could discover for themselves. They nudged, they asked, they left silences open just long enough for students to step in.

There’s a kind of hope in this work. At a time when civics can feel like a battleground, these teachers are not retreating. They lean in, trusting that giving students tools to understand, question, and shape the world is worth what they might face. They teach not just the mechanics of government but the habits of participation, the confidence to speak and listen, the understanding that democracy is not a spectator sport.

I left thinking about the long arc of influence. How a single teacher can shift a student’s sense of agency. How a single moment—raising a hand, offering a counterpoint, taking apart an argument and building it back stronger—can begin a lifetime of engagement. These teachers shape not just the next generation of voters but community builders, advocates, and leaders.

Not every hand will go up. Not every student will leave fully convinced of their power. But the invitation is there, the door is open. And maybe that’s enough for now—to create the space where the next generation can step forward, take their place in the conversation, and decide what comes next.

Kristy Johnson

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Can you tell us a little about your work and how you first came across iCivics?

I have a Masters Degree in Education and Coaching, and over a decade of experience teaching K–12 and adult learners. I have taught in turn-around schools, schools where the PTA raised a million dollars a year, in-patient treatment centers, and prisons. I have also tutored a variety of standardized tests: ACT, SAT, ISEE, and PSAT, to name a few.

Currently, I teach adult education. There are two tests our country uses to measure High School Equivalency (HSE) and I teach both: the GED and the HISET. (The TASC was discontinued, but I taught that one as well.)

Civics and government make up 38% of the social studies portion of the HISET and 50% of the social studies portion of the GED. iCivics has some of the best worksheets I have found to teach this subject, and I love the general approach to nonpartisan education for all Americans. I’ve been using the worksheets for years.

What do you think explains civics making up such a significant portion of the high school equivalency tests?

I think the reason for this heavy emphasis on citizenship content is that the GED and HiSET are geared toward adult learners. Topics like the branches of government, voting, and the Bill of Rights are fundamental to a functioning democracy. The exam mirrors a citizenship exam, and I think that’s intentional to the demographic.

What do you see as one of the most important pieces of the kind of civic education you provide?

More than ever, students need to know how to find a reliable resource, and how to sift through fake news and AI-generated content to find what is true. My undergrad degree was in journalism, and we learned how to research: how to verify information, how to find a reliable resource, etc. I appreciate that iCivics resources do just that: teach students how to research and find what is true. This is the most important topic for a functioning society.

The majority of students are like, “Wait. I saw a video on that.” I push back and ask, “Where did the video come from? How do you know if it’s real?” Students often don’t care. “So what if it isn’t?”

To get students to care about the fact that their “news” (TikTok videos and such) might be fake, you have to start with topics that matter to them. I let students choose a topic they care about, and then we discuss how they would feel if they saw AI-generated content or fake news about that topic. What would they do? How would they feel? How would they verify or know what is true?

Some students truly believe we cannot know what is and isn’t true anymore. You have to walk students through the research process multiple times to prove that we can actually know what is true. Explore several articles on one event. Identify bias and leading language. Distill the facts. This helps students see that we CAN know what is true. We just have to be critical and careful consumers.

What challenges do you encounter in your teaching?

Distrust is a big one. Everybody comes into class with some kind of “Whose side are you teaching me?” mindset. Especially students coming from countries where the United States is considered untrustworthy, or students who have had court involvement or incarceration touch their home. I always say I’m not trying to teach you what to think, I’m trying to teach you how to think.

Equipping students with techniques to tell if something is true is essential, and then showing them that these techniques work and they CAN know what is and isn’t true.

About Kristy

Teaching Experience: 10+ — Adult Education

School/Organization: Adult and Community Learning Services, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

An Insight on Civics from the O’Connor Family

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Luke O’Connor, grandson of iCivics founder and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, sat down to talk with his father, Jay O’Connor, about Justice O’Connor’s legacy—for the American people and more personally for her family—regarding the importance of civic education. Jay O’Connor continues to carry forward this legacy as a member of iCivics’ Board of Directors.

What was the most important civics lesson Grandma taught you?

The most important lesson she taught me about civics was how and why civic education and civic engagement are so vital for the continued success of our country.

Your grandmother often said, “Democracy isn’t passed down through the gene pool. It has to be learned by each successive generation.”

She believed that for our country to continue to thrive over generations, all our citizens need to understand our unique form of democracy, the core principles of our Constitution, and how our government is designed to work.

It is our shared foundational principles, our shared democratic values, and our shared choice for how we govern ourselves that have sustained and united us over nearly 250 years, even during our greatest challenges as a nation. Where would we be as a country today without a shared set of enduring principles, without our Constitution, and without the rule of law?

Your grandmother also deeply believed that all citizens need to be engaged in our democracy and in their communities. She said, “It is through this shared understanding of who we are that we can follow the approaches that have served us best over time—working collaboratively together in communities and in government to solve problems, putting country and the common good above party and self-interest, and holding our key governmental institutions accountable.
How important was iCivics to her?

Your grandmother said many times that she believed that iCivics was her most important, lasting legacy. That says it all. iCivics meant the world to her.
When Grandma retired from public life, she issued a call to action to the public. What was that?

In 2018, your grandmother wrote a public letter to announce she was stepping away from public life as a result of significant health challenges. In that letter, she shared some final thoughts with the public, and she issued a call to action related to the cause to which she was so devoted.

She said this:

It is time for new leaders to make civic learning and civic engagement a reality for all. It is my great hope that our nation will commit to educating our youth about civics, and to helping young people understand their crucial role as informed, active citizens in our nation. To achieve this, I hope that private citizens, counties, states, and the federal government will work together to create and fund a nationwide civics education initiative.
Why did you decide to become involved with iCivics?

Your grandmother’s lifelong passion for public service and civic education got me hooked! And of course, she was an amazing role model throughout my life. Growing up and through high school and college, I was inspired to see her serve in all three branches of government, culminating with her appointment to the Supreme Court after my freshman year in college.

When your grandmother was active in growing iCivics, I helped her behind the scenes on several initiatives. The more I got involved in iCivics, the more I was impressed with the impact iCivics was having on young people. When the opportunity presented itself to join the board of iCivics, I was thrilled to say, “Yes!” It is a true honor for me to help iCivics work toward your grandmother’s vision of teaching every young person in the country about our unique form of democracy and inspiring them to participate actively in civic life.

What’s your favorite game and why?

My favorite game is Do I Have a Right? You get to learn about constitutional law by playing the role of an attorney on real-world cases involving constitutional issues. It’s fun, relevant, and remarkably sophisticated.

What should all kids know about civics and iCivics?

First of all, your grandmother would be very disappointed if you didn’t pay special attention to civics!

Believe it or not, iCivics makes it truly fun and interesting to learn about our democracy and government. Students and teachers love it!

By learning about civics, you and your peers will understand what makes this country special, and how the unique design of our government and separation of powers has made our Republic enduring. Additionally, you’ll learn about your rights and responsibilities as a citizen, and the relationship between the government and its citizens.

Do you have a memorable story of seeing iCivics’ impact? 


There are numerous studies and measures that prove the positive impact of iCivics. But it’s really gratifying whenever I see real students use and talk about iCivics and watch them thoughtfully, passionately discuss the topics and prompts in classrooms. With iCivics, the games and the class discussions are where the real magic happens. They bolster student–teacher interactions and supplement curriculum development for teachers. Seeing real impact in both teachers and students is surely the most rewarding aspect.

What do you think about iCivics and how it has grown from providing games and content to also helping shape education policy across the country?

Though iCivics began solely providing access to games and minimal lesson plans, its journey has been remarkable. iCivics has developed an innovative new approach and roadmap to teach history and civics in an integrated new way—one that is being adopted by many states.

Extending past just classrooms are iCivics’ policy efforts through the CivxNow coalition, which aims to advance civic education through policy at the state and federal levels. In 2010, Florida passed the “Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Education Act,” a bill receiving bipartisan support that required middle school students to take an assessment following the culmination of a civics course. Your grandmother would certainly be thrilled that iCivics is now following her footsteps.

What would Grandma think about what iCivics is now?


During all my years on the board of iCivics, I would speak often with your grandmother to give her updates on the progress of the organization. She absolutely loved hearing about the new developments, and knowing that more than half of middle and high school students in the United States now use iCivics.


She would be so proud to see how far iCivics has already come in fulfilling its vision and knowing the positive impact it has on millions of young people. But she would also be the first person to point out that so much more needs to be done. We must push forward until all students, in all 50 states, receive a high-quality civic education that prepares and engages them in civic life.

Why is iCivics an important philanthropic investment?

The ultimate goal of iCivics is to secure and sustain a healthy democracy in the United States.

A thriving democracy and the rule of law are fundamental pillars that have enabled the successes and enduring strengths of the United States. They foster economic prosperity by providing an environment where freedom, innovation, and prosperity can flourish. They promote social cohesion and stability by ensuring that all citizens have a stake in the nation’s future. And they have allowed the United States to position itself as a global leader with tremendous influence.

Our ongoing success as a country depends on inculcating in each new generation a deep understanding and appreciation of our democracy, our form of government, and our rights and responsibilities as citizens to continue sustaining and participating in our democracy.

This learning must start with young people. iCivics is the ideal vehicle to foster civic learning and civic engagement, which are the sparks that create informed and involved citizens that sustain a healthy democracy.

Why is it important for the country to invest in civic education right now?


Your grandmother saw so clearly—decades before anyone else—that our democracy could not be taken for granted. She had become concerned that citizens were increasingly disengaged from their democracy. That’s why she started iCivics 15 years ago.


In the last eight years, many Americans have realized that our democracy is more fragile than most people had assumed. It requires ongoing care and sustenance. Civic learning is one of the most important essentials to sustaining the health of our democracy. Civic education has never been more timely and vital.

Where do you see the organization in 5 years, 10 years?

As we head toward our nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, iCivics is continuing to expand its vision and mandate by designing new ways to engage our youth in civic learning, growing the nationwide movement to prioritize civic education, and advancing new policies and practices that strengthen civic life in classrooms and communities across our land. Included in this vision is the advancement of civic investment as a core curriculum, advancing policy to support investment in civic education, and creating a greater general involvement in the civic education of youth. The current state and future of iCivics exceeds what your grandmother ever thought it would be.