Brenda St. Hilaire
714-514-8888
[email protected]
The Richard Nixon Foundation’s American Civics Campaign
is a strategic endeavor to teach elementary, middle and high school students
about the fundamentals of American democracy, history, and civics.
Reclaim America’s History
The Nixon Foundation’s American Civics Campaign is a $40 million strategic endeavor to instruct middle and high school students about the fundamentals of American democracy, history, and civics in-person and online.
America faces a critical challenge: the neglect and marginalization of civics education in its schools over the past forty years.
This has resulted in a generation heavily influenced by social media, shaping their understanding of American rights and responsibilities. Consequently, most high school students lack fundamental knowledge of American democracy, including crucial documents such as the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, as well as the functions of federal, state, and local governments.
Alarmingly, the federal government allocates only $0.05 per student annually to civics education, a stark contrast to the annual $54 investment per student in STEM subjects, as reported by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
This divestment in civics education has led to alarming viewpoints among the American electorate, potentially threatening our democracy:
1/3 of U.S. Adults
struggle to name all three branches of government while 17% couldn’t name any.
Only 38%
of respondents in a 2023 poll by the WSJ-NORC, relate to the importance of patriotism, a stark decline from 70% in 1998.
Just 38%
of Americans can pass a U.S. Citizenship Test with the required 60% score, as stated by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.
20% of Young Americans
hold a favorable view of Osama bin Laden, according to recent polling.
Nearly a Quarter
of young Americans, aged 18 to 29 doubt the reality of the Holocaust, according to a recent poll from The Economist.
22% of 8th Graders
are proficient in civics, revealed by The 2023 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) exams.
The Nixon Foundation is set to initiate significant capital improvements aimed at broadening our educational influence. This endeavor encompasses a quadrupling of our educational exhibition space, the preservation of President Nixon’s iconic Marine One helicopter and the presidential limousine, and the establishment of an immersive, hands-on American Civics Center. This transformative initiative is designed to cater to the educational needs of students, scholars, and researchers on a global scale.
$40 million
TOTAL CAMPAIGN GOAL
$26.5 million
TOTAL PLEDGED
Special Exhibition Hall
20,000 SQUARE FEET
American Civics Center
13,000 SQUARE FEET
American Civics Campaign
Supporters
$3 Million
Barbara and Alex Bowie
$2 Million
Ling and Charlie Zhang
$1 Million
Trish O’Donnell
Shaun and Leland Smith
$500,000
Doy Henley
Patricia Houston
Charles Keller
Bruce Whelihan
$250,000
Vicki and Michael Crow
$100,000
Meredith and Ken Khachigian
Jolynn and Patrick Mahoney
Ana and Oliver Schwab
Campaign Leadership
The Richard Nixon Foundation
Brenda St. Hilaire, Senior Consultant, Development
Barbara Bowie
Jim Burra
Jo Ellen Chatham
Vicki and Michael Crow
Massy Farzine
Ginny and Dave Hanna
Patricia Houston
Ken Khachigian
Nikan Khatibi
Parmis Khatibi
Jolynn and Pat Mahoney
Meghan McNulty
Rick Muth
Steve Pizula
Oliver Schwab
Bruce Whelihan
“The Nixon Library is a vital educational asset in Orange County, so we are thrilled to support its planned expansion. In particular, The American Civics Campaign will positively impact our youth and comes at this critical time when the understanding and appreciation of the American Constitution and basic civics is declining. Barbara and I are thrilled to be able to support this worthy endeavor.”
Barbara and Alex Bowie
$3 Million Contributors
“We are honored to support the American Civics Campaign because, as President Nixon once said, we believe in the American dream because we have seen it come true in our own lives. We want to inspire the next generation of peacemakers, leaders and visionaries embracing their own American dreams and giving back to the country that made it possible.”
Charlie and Ling Zhang
$2 Million Contributors
“Richard Nixon’s true religion was America: a civic faith in the Constitution, the founders, the American Way and the American virtues, freedom and democracy.”
-The Wall Street Journal
Join the American Civics Campaign
Contact:
Brenda St. Hilaire
714-514-8888
[email protected]
We invite you to join our efforts to empower the next generation of Americans.
Thank you for your generosity!
The Richard Nixon Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is a registered Non-Profit Organization in California.
Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Consult with a tax advisor for complete information about the tax deductibility of the gift. Tax ID: 52-1278303.