Sandra Day O'Connor backs online game to teach kids about government

The nonprofit that retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor started after she left the Supreme Court has launched an online game to teach children about their local government.

The game, Counties Work, is a partnership between O'Connor's group, iCivics, and the National Association of Counties.

The game puts players in charge of their own virtual county government, similar to the popular video game "SimCity." Players set sales and property tax rates and can use the funds to build roads or provide social services.

Players can help their digital citizens find the right agency to help with a problem or take their recommendations for new government projects. But some people's recommendations may not be the best use of the county's funds — such as painting all the buildings yellow or collecting taxes from pets. 

Players also have to deal with crises, such as chemical spills.

The game, which is designed for students grades six through 12, aims to teach "about the important role and functions of county government."

The National Association of Counties provides additional resources on its website to help teachers use the game in their classrooms. 

The game won the American Society of Association Executives' (ASAE) 2012 Gold Circle Award for Innovative Communications. The award will be presented in Washington on May 24.

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