Sandra Day O’Connor Institute
Project Title
For project support of online and in-person experiential immersion and debate programs in democracy and U.S. systems of government
Date
Mar. 05, 2026
Duration
0 months
Description
Research shows that many students lack meaningful opportunities to experiencethe nation’s founding idealsin action, while educators feel ill-equipped to teach civics effectively.Founded in 2009 by retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the O’Connor Instituteis a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to advancing civics education, civil discourse, and civic engagementnationally.With support from Carnegie, the Institute willexpand and strengthentwofreeexperientiallearningprogramsdesignedtomoveyoung people from civic awareness to civic practice: Camp O’Connor USA, amerit-basedcivicssummerprogram for middle school students, and the O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club, a virtualcivil discourseprogram for high school studentsnationwide.By coupling in-person immersion with sustained virtual engagement, the Institute reaches studentsacross variedregions and socioeconomic backgrounds.Carnegie’s support will fund student participation, access,and essential learning resources—includingscholarships and instructional materials—while driving a national expansion that will increase combined student enrollment from 1,671 to 3,125.