On June 11, the Orange County Forum hosted a stimulating conversation about the importance of civic literacy, the consequences of civic illiteracy, and how the knowledge and skills essential to effective civic engagement can be enhanced. Recognizing that civic health is a community issue from “K to grey,” Dr. Stefan Bean, OC Superintendent of Education, addressed the role of formal education while Paul Simonds, COO of the Orange County Business Council (OCBC), discussed opportunities for business to promote civic education, referring in part to The Civic Trust created by the US Chamber of Commerce and OCBC initiatives underway in Orange County.
Former Ambassador and Director of the Peace Corps, Gaddi Vasquez, shared insights from his experiences in other countries as well as his own time in elected office. Dr. Bean joined in with his personal story after being abandoned in war-torn Saigon and why civic engagement is vital for all of us.
Joe Lopez, COO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, shared information about the Foundation’s American Civics Campaign, its major initiative to promote civic literacy in Orange County and beyond. Already reaching more than 30,000 third-graders and providing workshops for civics teachers, the Foundation hosted the 2025 and 2026 regional competitions for the National Civics Bee, created by the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Arlo Fravien, CA Champion of the 2025 National Civics Bee, spoke of his interest in civics and why he chose to enter the competition. An eighth-grade student from Garden Grove, Arlo, represented California in the national competition in Washington, D.C., where the winning student received a scholarship valued at $100,000. Logan Thielen, the sixth-grade 2026 regional winner, attended the event with his parents as guests of USA50-OC. He will compete in the CA state finals at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on June 27.
USA250-OC and the OC Department of Education were the two major sponsors of the event and appreciate the OC Forum’s focus on this important and timely topic. USA250-OC’s Jo Ellen Chatham moderated the panel discussion.
