Being an informed, self-aware and engaged citizen is a civic responsibility.

With civics education in decline and our political discourse guided by competing ideologies, there has never been a better time to advocate for a more informed electorate.

My interactive multi-touch exhibit is situated at the intersection of self-awareness, engagement and personal responsibility. It offers a unique opportunity for willing participants to literally “step up” to the simple challenge of taking the U.S. citizenship test in a public space. By exploiting the desire to compete, consequences are connected to performance, as guests are invited to wager in the form of a donation to a worthy cause (The Wounded Warrior Project). The notional and derivative values of citizenship collide as participants struggle to rationalize their concept of patriotism against their actual civic knowledge.

Participants are presented with an opportunity to estimate how many questions they think they can answer correctly. If you win, your donation will be matched and if you lose, you are presented with new suggested donation amount.

All test metrics will be analyzed, dynamically updated and presented on the surface of the table and users will be given the opportunity to "crowd source" their own pledge of allegiance.

Those who pass the test could be entered into a drawing, with the winners having an opportunity to meet with a prominent political figure in a town hall-style meeting to discuss issues relevant to their civic interests.

Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?