Louisiana organization named recipient of Sandra Day O’Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education

Williamsburg, Va. (Dec. 20, 2011) — The Louisiana Center for Law and Civic Education (LCLCE) has been named the 2011 recipient of the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for the Advancement of Civics Education by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The award honors an organization, court, or individual who has promoted, inspired, improved, or led an innovation or accomplishment in the field of civics education related to the justice system.

See photos of civic education outreach activities in Louisana classrooms implemented by the LCLCE.

"The Louisiana program stands out for its impressive array of innovative programs, its exemplary efforts at collaboration, and the fact that it reaches students throughout the state," said NCSC President Mary C. McQueen. The award will be presented July 24 during the Conference of Chief Justices / Conference of State Court Administrators joint meeting in St. Louis, Mo. 

The LCLCE is a nonprofit organization that coordinates, implements, and develops law and civics-education programs; trains educators on how to teach civics-education programs; and assists with the delivery of law and civics-education programs throughout Louisiana. The organization was established in 1992, and contains several components and programs, including Lawyers in the Classroom/Judges in the Classroom; We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution; Annual Summer Institute for Social Studies Educators; and Law Signature Schools.

Louisiana Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball and Louisiana Supreme Court Judicial Administrator Timothy F. Averill nominated the LCLCE for the O'Connor Award. In a letter of reference, Louisiana 4th Judicial District Court Judge C. Wendell Manning summed up the organization's impact on Louisiana students: "The lesson plans and programs are interactive, transforming instruction in civics and law related education into a fun experience for both students and teachers. In a nut shell, the LCLCE makes law and civics education come alive in the classroom."

This is the second year the O'Connor Award has been presented. The first recipient was South Carolina Chief Justice Jean H. Toal. The award is named for retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in honor of her commitment to improving civics education. Since retiring from the bench in 2006, Justice O'Connor has become a tireless advocate of civics education, working to increase awareness and understanding of how our government works. She also established iCivics, a program that uses Web-based educational tools to teach civics education and to inspire students to be active participants in society.  

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation's state courts.