Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman on the United States Supreme Court, wrote a letter to the public not only to inform it of her diagnosis but also to remind us that, “It’s not enough to understand, you got to do something.” Those are the words she lives by and  told her own three sons countless times. For her, “There is no more important work than deepening young people’s engagement in our nation.” So, after retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court, she continued to effect change through the creation of iCivics; a website created to help youth better understand the core principals of civics and government through interactive games and curricula. As she leaves public life to battle the early stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s, she reminds us again how important it is to help, “young people understand their crucial role as informed, active citizens in our nation.” Sandra Day O'Conner was just a "young cowgirl from the deserts of Arizona" who believes you have to do something and she became the first woman U.S. Supreme Court Justice. If a young person from Arizona can do that, imagine what you can do?

To read her full letter click here or visit ICivics here.