Illinois Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride hopes to fire up high school civics lessons during the 225th birthday celebration of the U.S. Constitution.

Kilbride, the high court's six other justices, and other judges will announce "Project 225" Wednesday in Springfield.

The thrust of the program is to have Illinois judges give presentations to 225 high school civics classes statewide starting Sept. 17. That is the day the Constitutional Convention signed the nation's supreme law in 1787.

Presentations will continue through the end of the month.

Kilbride met former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor in 2007. She lamented the lack of civics education. Kilbride decided to try to reverse that trend. For one, he has traveled to schools in his district to explain the judicial system.