WELCOME TO YOUR COUNTY

What is a county?
What is a county and what does it do? Who runs a county? Where does a county get its money from, and how does it spend it? How are citizens involved?

Find out more about North Carolina counties

New online game allows students to run a county

A new game allows students across the country to learn about county government in a fun and interactive online setting. The game is sponsored by iCivics, Inc., and the National Association of Counties (NACo). The game, "Counties Work," is geared for students in grades 6 through 12. It is designed to teach the students about the important roles and functions of counties by letting them run their own county. A curriculum and webquest has been developed to assist teachers in preparing lessons on county government.

More information

Deadline passes for 2012 essay contest on role of county government
The deadline for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners' fifth annual essay contest on county government for 9th or 10th grade students in a public or charter school has passed. The winner will be announced May 25, 2012. Thanks to all those who entered. We had a record number of entries this year. We look forward to hosting the contest again in 2013, so please keep checking this web page for details.

Welcome to your County - May 2012
Ever wondered what it is like to be a Patrol Deputy for a county sheriff's department? The latest edition of the NCACC's educational program, Welcome to your County, is now available on the NCACC's YouTube channel and features a report from Buncombe County on a day in the life of a Sheriff's Patrol Deputy.

Visit the NCACC's YouTube Channel

Free resources for teachers available
The N.C. Association of County Commissioners has several resources available to assist teachers in their lessons on county government. The NCACC has prepared a 16-page booklet (left) that includes brief overviews of the services offered by counties, how counties generate their revenue, the governance structure of a county and how counties spend their revenues. There is also a PowerPoint presentation for the booklet. In addition, the Association has created an award-winning 4 1/2-minute video as a companion to the booklet. For a limited time, the Association is offering for free to teachers a packet of 30 copies of the booklet, a copy of the video on DVD and a copy of our award-winning poster that shows all 100 county seals.

Click here for more information.

Interested in a guest speaker on county government for your classroom? Click here for a listing of phone numbers for county managers to request a speaker.

About the Web site
"Welcome to Your County" is an initiative of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, which strives to inform and educate the public and the media about county government through implementation of its strategic goals.