Action-Ed would like to extend a sincere thank you to the more than 30 educators who took the time to complete our Civic Mirror Educator Feedback Survey.

As we begin planning a major redevelopment of Civic Mirror, our goal is to make the program more intuitive, user-friendly, flexible, and valuable for classroom use — while preserving the powerful learning experience that has made Civic Mirror meaningful for teachers and students over the years.

The feedback we received was thoughtful, detailed, honest, and incredibly helpful. Educators shared what continues to make Civic Mirror work, where the current experience needs improvement, and how a next-generation version could better support classroom learning.

Congratulations to Our Educator Feedback Prize Winners

As a thank-you for participating, educators were entered into a prize draw for one printed Civic Mirror Instructor Manual and five printed Student Manuals to keep on hand for classroom use.

Congratulations to this year’s educator feedback prize winners! We are grateful for their contributions, and for the many years of experience represented by the educators who responded.

About This Year’s Winners

	Lee Ryan Miller College of San Mateo, CA Lee Ryan Miller is a longtime Civic Mirror user and Political Science professor at College of San Mateo. His feedback captured one of Civic Mirror’s core strengths especially well: in political science, students do not usually get a “lab” the way they might in science — Civic Mirror gives them a way to learn politics, government, and economics by doing.
	Cathy Johnson Hastings Middle School, OH Cathy Johnson teaches 8th Grade Social Studies at Hastings Middle School. In her feedback, she described Civic Mirror as a highlight of the 8th-grade year, giving students an authentic civics experience where they take ownership of learning about government, politics, economics, leadership, and collaboration.
	Paul Chaffee School District 43, Coquitlam, BC Paul Chaffee teaches in School District 43 in Coquitlam and has been using Civic Mirror for nearly 20 years. His feedback emphasized how the simulation gives students agency and ownership, especially through the political system, hidden agendas, and economic decision-making built into the experience.
	Genevieve Tannas Edmonton Public Schools, AB Genevieve Tannas is a teacher-consultant with Edmonton Public Schools and brought the perspective of a French-Immersion educator working with Alberta’s curriculum. She shared how Civic Mirror helps students experience Canadian governance and economics in a highly interactive way, while also identifying translation and electoral-system improvements that could strengthen future versions.
	Tanya Lacey Grand Erie District School Board, ON Tanya Lacey teaches with Grand Erie District School Board and brings the perspective of a secondary Civics educator. Her feedback emphasized Civic Mirror’s value as a hands-on way to learn Civics that engages nearly every student, while also suggesting more teacher control over government settings such as tax rates, national symbols, and other in-game decisions.

What We Heard from Educators

Across the feedback, one message came through clearly: educators continue to see tremendous value in Civic Mirror’s core learning experience.

The strongest recurring feedback clustered around six major themes:

How This Feedback Will Guide the Rebuild

The Civic Mirror redevelopment will be guided by a simple principle: preserve what makes the simulation powerful, and rebuild the systems that make it easier to run, manage, adapt, and expand.

That means the classroom experience will remain the foundation. Students will still learn by participating in a simulated country, making decisions, taking on roles, negotiating with one another, experiencing consequences, and reflecting on what happened.

We know Civic Mirror has worked best when teachers bring it to life with their own creativity, classroom management, and professional judgment. The next version should support that work more effectively — not get in the way of it.

Thank you again to every educator who contributed feedback. Your ideas are helping shape the next generation of Civic Mirror, and we are excited to continue building from the experience, creativity, and insight of the teachers who have brought the program to life in classrooms.

Stay involved: We’ll continue sharing updates as the Civic Mirror redevelopment process moves forward, and we look forward to inviting more educator input along the way.

The post Civic Mirror Educator Feedback: Prize Winners and What We Heard appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Co-Author: Devon P.
Simulated Country: Dokullu
School: Milton District High School
Location: Milton, ON, Canada

Proof of Saria’s Crimes

In the country of Dokullu, the Purple Party was caught favoring their own party members and leaving everyone not in the party getting the leftovers. When Jack, who is the leader of the Equality Party, noticed this he declared a lawsuit against the members in this party. Aiko, who’s the leader of the Purple Party and Prime Minister at this time, stepped up to represent their group with her lawyer Selina by her side. Jack provided evidence of a statement where Selina said to Marko, who is the leader of the Open Social Democracy party “you’re not in our party lil bro” when he asked for energy just so he could survive. Jack also had proof of Saria, a member of the purple party, providing housing in her apartment for only her party (proof attached as a photo).

Jack also accused Aiko of letting Purple Party members stay in her apartment for free, with proof of the trade history showing Purple Party member Emma paying nothing for a spot in Aiko’s apartment. Jack saw this and brought it up in the court case, but was outmaneuvered by Aiko’s defence lawyer stating that in the contract for the apartment each year Emma paid in a food unit rather than with money, so this accusation was dismissed.

If Jack won this case he wanted the Purple Party to lose their seat in the government and a new prime minister to be elected, in the end, Jack fought hard in this case and fairly selected jury declared the Purple Party guilty. In return, the Supreme Judge Jayden agreed to Jack’s requested punishment of the removal of the Purple Party’s third government seat and the election of a new Prime Minister.

After the court case was finished the country of Dokullu had a new election where the new Prime Minister was chosen. Tessa, the leader of the Yellow Party was elected as Prime Minister. The citizens of Dokullu can sleep easier knowing that the corruption of the Purple Party was exposed and dealt with, and they can

The post The Criminal Case of Jack vs the Purple Party appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Simulated Country: MAGA
School: St Peter the Apostle Catholic High School
Instructor: Ms. Lenna Zimmer
Location: Spruce Grove, Alberta

The Reformation Party will officially be in power for the next two years in MAGA. The recent laws passed in parliament were all passed with support from The Party, the opposition of the Reformation Party.

The first action by the new government was the appointment of Gavin Wigelsworth as the speaker of the house, who would be well received after his first session as speaker. The other MP’s in the house are the newly elected president Olivia, as well as three other members of the Reformation party and three members of The Party, including Wigelsworth.

Then the lawmaking began. The first law proposed was the article of Freedom of Speech, which would allow citizens to speak freely without fear of persecution. But, members of the Reformation Party and the general public would question the law as some saw it as protecting those who promote hate speech. Following the accusations, an updated version was proposed which allowed Freedom of Speech with the exception of such speech. The version was accepted and the law was passed 6-0 in favour.

The next proposal was the law of Anti-Corruption, which would prevent the following: abuse of power within government and forcible seizing of land (with the exception of debt, which the government will then take and sell). This was passed with full approval of the house.

The third and final law passed in the session was the establishment of an information system that would allow citizens to gain access to plans by the government, in which citizens could also request the release of more information. The law would be adjusted which allowed an independent party to investigate the government in the case the government fails to follow the law. The bill would be passed with a 5-1 vote in favour.

One citizen was ejected from parliament during the session by Mr. Wigelsworth, citing the citizen was too disruptive.

This isn’t the end of the law passing, as there are still two amendments that will be proposed in the near future.

The post First Laws Proposed By Reformation Party Officially Passed In MAGA appeared first on Civic Mirror.

We’re thrilled to celebrate long-time Civic Mirror teacher Derek Fournier of Fleetwood Park Secondary in Surrey, BC, who has been honoured with a 2025 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence (Certificate of Excellence). Derek is one of only 11 teachers across Canada to receive this national recognition – a huge achievement and a testament to the kind of citizenship-focused, student-centred teaching we’re proud to support.

Photo: Derek Fournier and his colleague Laura Baldry, another Civic Mirror educator, in his classroom.

Over his 32-year career in Surrey Schools, Derek has taught thousands of students in English and Social Studies, helping them see themselves as informed, engaged citizens rather than just “kids in a class.” Recognized as a humanities and social studies teacher who mentors colleagues, promotes mental health, and builds strong classroom communities, Derek’s work fits perfectly with the spirit of Civic Mirror.

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Civic Mirror in BC Social Studies 10

Derek has been using Civic Mirror as a social studies simulation for years, especially in his BC Social Studies 10 classes. In his hands, the simulation isn’t just a “game” – it becomes a living model of Canada’s political and economic systems where students argue policy, debate rights and responsibilities, and grapple with real-world ethical dilemmas.

Through role-play, elections, markets, and town hall debates, his students experience:

• How laws get made (and challenged)

• How inequality can emerge in a free market

• How civic engagement, protest, and compromise can actually change outcomes

Students don’t just learn about citizenship – they practice it. That’s exactly what Civic Mirror was built to do, and Derek has been one of the teachers who consistently pushes the simulation to its full potential.

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Innovative, Student-Centred Teaching

The Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence celebrate educators who show innovative teaching, strong digital literacy, student skills development, and leadership. Derek’s classroom checks all of those boxes.

According to Surrey Schools and local coverage, Derek is known for:

• A calm, caring presence that helps students feel safe taking intellectual risks

• Integrating digital and creative literacy into humanities and social studies lessons

• Centering mental health, equity, and inclusion in his practice

• Building programs – including a Civic Mirror–based civic engagement program – that strengthen community and student voice beyond a single classroom

When you combine those strengths with a high-engagement social studies simulation, you get the kind of learning that sticks with students long after the final exam.

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Why This Matters for Civic Mirror (and for Students)

For us at Civic Mirror, Derek’s recognition is more than a feel-good news story. It’s proof that:

• Experiential civics works. When students live through political, economic, and social questions, they understand them more deeply – and remember them longer.

• BC Social Studies 10 can be a launchpad for real citizenship. Teachers like Derek show how curriculum outcomes become far more meaningful when students experience the tensions and trade-offs firsthand.

• Great tools need great teachers. Civic Mirror provides the structure, but it’s educators like Derek who turn it into a transformative learning experience for hundreds of students every year.

We’re incredibly proud that Civic Mirror has been one small part of Derek’s journey as an educator – and even more proud of the thousands of students who discovered their civic voice in his classroom.

From everyone at Civic Mirror: Congratulations, Derek!

Thank you for your decades of service to students, your leadership in the profession, and your vision for what social studies can be.

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Learn More

• Fleetwood Park Secondary teacher wins Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence

• Surrey teacher wins national award – Surrey Now-Leader

• Prime Minister’s Awards – 2025 Teaching Excellence Recipients & Biographies

The post Fleetwood Park’s Derek Fournier Wins Prime Minister’s Award – And Shows What Civic Learning Can Be appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Simulated Country: Ratatouille
School: South Colchester Academy
Instructor: Ms. Shannon Clancey
Location: Brookfield, Nova Scotia

The 3 Parties in the simulated country Ratatouille at South Colchester Academy in Brookfield, NS were preparing for their super close election. The parties included (i) La Gousteau, (ii) Ratatata, and (iii) White House Down, and every single citizen of the country was actively involved with one of the parties.

Reportedly, during the election, the leader of White House Down joked about seeing the ballot that an MP runner from La Gousteau was using. This resulted in the leader of La Gousteau announcing that this MP will be taken to court if it’s proven that the election was fixed and/or messed with.

Also during the election, tenisons were high. I, myself, was having a pounding heart. Questions flew and people voted. The leader of White House Down got into an argument with a MP runner from Ratatata, and a another MP Runner from Ratatata was told that if he laid hands on someone, he’ll be kicked out. The leader of White House Down seemed to be very calm and joked around whilst the counting was going on, The leader of Ratatata was also calm. Leader of La Gousteau was very tense.

Eventually, everybody finished voting, the election officer counted and called it in, and it was a blind vote for the last MP for Ratatata or La Gousteau, which went to La Gousteau.

The MPS were spilt 3 La Gousteau, 1 for Ratatata, and 3 for White House Down. Tomorrow will be a 1v1 run-off election to determine who the Prime Minister of Ratatouille will be.

UPDATE

The re vote to see who’d win: La Gousteau or White House Down, was held today to high stakes. The leader of White House Down was reportedly disruptive, Campaigning during voting and not shaking the Leader of La Gosuteau’s hand, as well as making a mess on the leader of Ratatata Party’s shoe!
Apparently, White House Down attempted to form connections, to which it wasn’t clear if it worked or not. An absentee from the first vote was also going to vote for La Gousteau. This seasoned reporter voted for La Gousteau.
White House Down tried to corral votes for him, joking about having himself and others vote for the leader of La Gousteau, and also joked that a supporter for the La Gousteau party couldn’t spell their own name!
The last votes came in and it was called. La Gousteau to White House Down, 14:10. The leader of the Party La Gosteau was ecstatic and giddy about winning, the future may look bright.

The post Hectic Election in Ratatouille! appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Simulated Country: BZ Wingstop
School: Boston College High School
Instructor: Mr. Gartside
Location: Boston, MA

The simulated Year 2000 has come and gone for BZ’s Wingstop, a Civic Mirror country from Boston College High School, and by many in the country, it was considered a great success. From the first election to the final day, join me as we take a look at BZ’s Wingstop’s historic first year.

We start off at the election. The candidates for president are Quinn, Enzo, Brayden, and Eamon, the senate candidates are Ian, Eli, Caleb, and Josh, and the candidates for the House are Andrew, Michael M, Tyler, Seamus, Teddy, Grayson, and Raymond. In the Senate, Ian, Eli, and Caleb get elected with Eli as the Senate President. Andrew, Tyler, Raymond, Seamus, and Michael M get elected to the House, Michael M being the speaker. However, the race for President is a tie between Enzo and Quinn, so there has to be a coin flip to decide the winner. Quinn wins, and becomes the president, concluding the first election.

The hex auction happens, with the government getting the Energy/Industry (E/I) and Education hexes. Gary gets one farm, but gets the other later. Ian gets an apartment, but will also get a second later, and Michael F gets the final apartment. The Government Event happens (Winter 2000), and two major laws passed are the Green River Protection act and the controversial Privacy in trade act. Immediately after, the market opens and everyone begins trading. Prices for E/I are $800; food and health are $400; and Education is $100. Towards the end of the trading, Teddy realizes that all his Safety units will disappear at the end of the year, so he drops his prices from $1,000 to $250.

At the end of the year, all units have been consumed except one extra food for Michael M, and everyone has a powered place to live except Teddy. The final country score is a 6.2 / 10, which ranks 19th in Civic Mirror World, and a couple bad wild cards result in 3 citizens having family deaths. At the end of everything, Raymond has the most WB points with 50, and Eli, Enzo, and Tyler are tied for the most SPs with 15.

BZ’s Wingstop had a great first year, but there have been some controversies in the government, and we will see how that that goes.

The post BZ’s Wingstop’s First Year – Boston College High School appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Written by: Cohen

Simulated Country: 9H22
School: Prescott Learning Centre
Instructor: Ms. Christy Haggarty
Location: Spruce Grove, AB

9H22 is currently facing a severe economic crisis, with inflation reaching unprecedented levels. The country’s annual inflation rate is currently over 700%, the highest it has been since the collapse of the 9H22 dollar.

This high inflation has led to a sharp decline in the purchasing power of the population, with prices for basic goods and services skyrocketing. Many citizens are struggling to afford even the most basic necessities, and are being forced to cut back on food and medical expenses.

The government, which is already facing political and economic turmoil, has been unable to effectively address the crisis. Efforts to stabilize the currency and rein in inflation have so far been unsuccessful, and many experts fear that the situation may continue to deteriorate.

The country’s economy, once a relatively strong one in Africa, has been in decline for decades, with high unemployment, a lack of foreign investment, and a shortage of basic goods all contributing to the current crisis. In addition, years of political instability, mismanagement and corruption have made the issue worse.

The impact of inflation is being felt by all segments of society, but it is hitting the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. Many are unable to access basic goods and services, and with rising food prices, hunger is becoming more widespread.

The international community is also increasingly concerned about the situation in 9H22, with some calling for the government to take urgent action to address the economic crisis. However, there is no easy solution to the country’s problems, and it is likely to take significant time and effort to stabilize the economy and bring inflation under control.

It’s important to note that the above information on 9H22 is not updated, my last knowledge cut off is 2021, I recommend looking for recent updated information if you want to know more about the present situation of the inflation in 9H22.

The post CM Country “9H22” in Economic Shambles appeared first on Civic Mirror.

It’s obvious that some of Deeahharr’s citizens have no idea about the game, neither have they read enough to understand what a revolution does.

There was, indeed a mistake made by the PM, who covered up for it with the same amount of money loaned from the government, and then represented the citizens fairly, as a good PM does.

Some blind citizens want to overlook the fact that what the PM did with his personal account was NOT ILLEGAL, as there were no laws set at the time. These blind citizens were once told that if they don’t like someone in power, and the people in power (government) did something absolutely detestable, then the citizens can come together to “revolutionize” and kill off the government, replacing it with a new one. These very people, who got obsessed with the idea of a new government (not thinking for a moment as to whether this new government was going to be worse), suggested that the PM should be impeached! These citizens stood tall and acted brave but once asked to define impeachment, went silent, looking around to others for an answer. For all the citizens reading this, let me remind you that when you revolutionize, democracy is being DESTROYED. Property? Destroyed. Money? Gone. Lives? Also gone. The very people revolutionizing, could end up as the ones with their property lost. Deeahharr, because of some of it’s citizen’s mindset, is going to fall. Forever.

Remember, in Deeahharr, the government is not corrupt, but is only trying to help the citizens out. Choose properly.

The post Deeahharr’s Economy is Pointlessly Dying Due to Its Own People. appeared first on Civic Mirror.

The Vote Zoe Dummies Party has prevailed in a close election in DustinVille, taking 4 seats and control of the government. VZDT candidate Colby Zelt took a landslide victory with 48 points. A crushed Democratic Party of Dustinville will now be forced to elect a new leader, as current leader Dominik Vrbanek was ousted in his seat by the VZDT’s Anthony Shibata. VZDT leader Zoe Reid has taken her seat and won the position of Prime Minister of DustinVille for the 2000 election, promising to stabilize our energy and food crises while keeping taxes at an affordable rate. Can her party save us from an impending energy emergency?

UPDATE: The Democrats have officially declared their new leader to be MP Riley Grant, hoping for a charismatic new face to improve their party’s standing and to push for change as opposition leader.

The post VZDT wins Decision in DustinVille, takes 4-Seat Government appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Simulated Country: N’gagwu
School: Sir Winston Churchill Secondary
Instructor: Mr. Devon Richards
Location: Vancouver, BC

The post N’gagwu’s First Legislative Process! appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Written by: John Sarnelli

Simulated Country: Stonehaivn
School: Ohr Eliyahu Academy
Instructor: Mr. Robert Lipman
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Stonehaivn’s hex auction turns to chaos when three kids decide to pool their money together. The three kids had a total of over thirteen thousand dollars while the government had less.

The government did not like that and when ‘The three musketeers” tried to buy an apartment, the class turned chaotic and started arguing whether this sort of transaction was allowed.
Later, the government made the law specifically saying in the email that “No bogus transactions” would be tolerated. While no one knows for sure some think that the government is corrupt, and that this law was enacted because of jealousy.

After the issue was sorted out, the money was given back to their rightful owners, the auction started and was running smoothly, until, one of “The three musketeers,” who was a member of the government bid against the government for healthcare. The government won the bid but now they do not have enough money for E/I.

We live in a democracy and the government handled the situation with “The three musketeers” was not democratic! The remaining question to consider is whether the Stonehaivn government is corrupt. Let us hope that it is not because then the entire country will fall to shambles.

The post Stonehaivn Hex Auction in Chaos appeared first on Civic Mirror.

Simulated Country: Lizzolandia
School: Harold Panabaker Jr High School
Instructor: Ms. Loretta Lock
Location: Calgary, AB
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LIZZOLANDIA HEALTH REPORT
Written by: Kaitlyn G.
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2001 End of Year Reports

The end of year reports for 2001 conclude that 12 citizens have died this past year. This is a very drastic change from the mortality rate of last year. In 2000, there were double the amount of deaths than there were in 2001. Lizzolandia is going towards the right direction in terms of making units more affordable for those who need it.

The deaths of Lizzolandia are occurring for a few different reasons. Only five deaths in Lizzolandia are due to food, three deaths are from no shelter, two from wildcards and two from unpowered shelters. Also, there have been four serious medical emergencies in 2001.

Medical emergencies can be best prevented from health units. Health, insurance and safety are all ways that citizens can be protected from these occurrences. Even though the death rates from food, shelter and unpowered shelters had dropped significantly, there are still ways we can prevent future deaths from the same cause. Lizzolandia has done well in trying to ensure that every citizen has food, and the amount of deaths regarding this has been reduced, but there are still a few people without it. Some shelters are still needing to be powered, and they should be top priority for the time being. A few citizens are still in need of homes, and this needs to be addressed.

Obituary of 2001

Grant: No Food
E: No Food
Y: No Shelter
Spoiler: No Food
Batman: No Shelter
Elon Musk: Wild Card
Evelyn: Unpowered Shelter
Smithers: No Food
Havyen Hackenbroeck: No Food
Vanessa: Die Roll of 12
David Rittich: Unpowered Shelter
Cousin: No Shelter

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OUTCOMES OF THE 2001 ELECTIONS
Written by: Brooklyn Scheck
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In the most recent election that took place in the winter season, the People’s Party of Lizzolandia and the Midwing Party debated their political platforms and convinced the people of their ideology.

The election results showed that Alfred and his MP’s would become the government and that Addy and Cat would become the official opposition. Because Alfred is in power, some of his policies in place to govern the country include government owned healthcare, security, nature and E/I hexes. His goal in power is to manage affairs efficiently and as fairly as possible without implementing laws to guarantee equal pay, etc. Addy’s policies revolve around 100% equality. How is this actually reasonable when some citizens aren’t earning what they receive and are simply consuming units that other citizens would work hard for? The Midwing policies create undeserving opportunity for those who have inadequate work ethic, which is a hardship for society. Despite the fact that all citizens are viewed the same in the perspective of Midwing supporters which may be beneficial in some cases, some citizens work harder for their income while others procrastinate. Is this actually beneficial to society or is it something that must be challenged?

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2000’S ELECTION ENDS IN UNCERTAINTY
Written by: Nic D.
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Ever since the election, people’s perspectives have been divided. After Prime Minister Jiao won the recent election, a small group of Lizzolandia’s citizens was dismayed due to the lack of professionalism and possible violation.

Will this end on the impeachment of Prime Minister Jiao? Or will the rule of the PM Alfred Jiao continue?

“They are clearly not serious about governing us! Why did they even try to run for Parliament?” a Lizzolandia citizen quoted.

The post The Lizzolandia Tribune appeared first on Civic Mirror.