A Democracy, If We Can Teach It

The Laurence and Lynne Brown Democracy Medal, awarded by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State University, recognizes outstanding individuals, groups, and organizations that produce innovations to further democracy in the United States or around the world.

The Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement advances nonpartisan civic learning by working with K–12 teachers and students. Founded in 2014 by Judge Marjorie O. Rendell and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, the center's programs include statewide read-alouds, where judges, lawyers and other professionals read books to elementary school students across the state, as well as the Citizenship Challenge, an essay contest for fourth- and fifth-graders with prompts based on Pennsylvania civics standards. This book tells the story of how the center equips young people with knowledge about the workings of our constitutional system and prepares them to step into public life as leaders and active, engaged citizens.

For this important work, the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement is the recipient of the 2025 Brown Democracy Medal from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy.

Judge Marjorie Rendell is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and former First Lady of Pennsylvania. She is now President of the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement.