Reflections on Interviewing Sandra Day O’Connor

When I first was asked to interview Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, I immediately said “yes.”  After all, how often do opportunities arise to do something on a scale and magnitude as large as this?  Thus, off to Philadelphia I went to capture the first interview for the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series, which is produced by the Verizon Foundation.

As I interviewed the Justice, I was impressed with her passion for Civics education.  We face a serious issue in our country as Social Studies education is being pushed into a second-class status. To address this trend, the Justice developed iCivics, an online education program that teaches students civics and encourages them to learn about their rights and responsibilities as citizens, and to understand the workings of the U.S. government.  I learned that through her partnership with Verizon Foundation, iCivics’ interactive games are now available on Verizon Thinkfinity.    I will share two important lessons with my own students about this experience.    The Justice is a living example for students striving to reach their goals.  She had to overcome many obstacles, and she worked very hard to be successful.  She shared that when she faced setbacks, it made her more determined to succeed instead of hanging her head.  The Justice could very easily have held grudges, but she didn’t, and instead used the setbacks and barriers to increase her motivation for success.    The Justice is also humble, gracious and engaging.  Staying humble and not acting like you are something special because of your success is a very important characteristic.  I believe Justice O’Connor has shown us how to do this with her life.    I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and I felt blessed and thankful to have been given this opportunity to interview the Justice O’Connor for the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series.   VZN17703