San Diego ( CNN ) -- Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor , the first woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court after 191 years , is crusading to reverse what she says is an alarming decline in America 's knowledge of democracy and announced an initiative Wednesday to educate children across the country . Asserting that democracy is not inherited at birth but rather learned in school , O'Connor founded the educational nonprofit group iCivics in 2009 to secure America 's governance and prepare the next generation of citizens and leaders . On Wednesday , O'Connor announced an expansion of that program to include the Boys & Girls Club of America , which has almost 4,000 clubs serving 4.1 million youngsters . `` Many states around the country are no longer teaching or requiring civics education for young people , '' said O'Connor , 82 . `` When I went to school -- and that was a long time ago , and I went to school in El Paso , Texas -- we had civics almost every year , and in fact , I almost got tired of it . `` But the fact of the matter is that every young person needs to learn how our government works at the national level , at the state level , at the local level and how they can be part of it , '' O'Connor said . O'Connor said her website , iCivics.org , was partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs because of its vast network serving youths . `` It 's a very big organization , and I want them to know and use -- and they want to know and to use -- iCivics because it 's a great activity for young people , '' O'Connor added . O'Connor cited an Annenberg Public Policy Center national survey showing that only one-third of Americans could name all three branches of the U.S. government . `` I ca n't believe it , '' O'Connor said in in a speech at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America 's national conference in San Diego on Wednesday . Then she added : `` Two-thirds of Americans can name a judge on 'American Idol , ' and only 15 % can name the chief justice of the United States , '' who is John Roberts . `` Civic knowledge ca n't be handed down the gene pool . It has to be learned , '' O'Connor told the gathering of 2,400 conference attendees . O'Connor said the American awareness of civics is `` on the decline . '' `` It 's putting our country at some risk , '' O'Connor said . iCivics offers free curricula and video games in public , private and charter schools in all 50 states and has counted more than 5 million game plays on its website , spokeswoman Kelly Landis said . The 16 video games are designed to teach students about civics , even asking them to play the role of president . O'Connor was a President Reagan appointee to the Supreme Court in 1981 , and she retired from the nation 's highest court in 2006 .
NEW : `` It 's putting our country at some risk , '' Sandra Day O'Connor says of declining civics knowledge . Retired Justice O'Connor founded iCivics in 2009 . She announced a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club on Wednesday . Retired since 2009 , she was the first woman on the Boys & Girls Club .