On Friday, February 6th, FHS students attended Youth in Government Day, hosted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, where more than 120 students from Oakland County were in attendance. This full-day educational event, held in partnership with Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) 4-H, provides high school students the opportunity to connect with their local government and discover the many ways they can get involved. Students learned about Oakland County’s elected official roles and how those officials make decisions and policies that impact the daily lives of all county residents. They met the Clerk/Register, the Deputy Sheriff, the Water Resources Commissioner, the Treasurer, and several commissioners, who gave the students a glimpse into their roles and answered questions. MSUE educators then engaged students through an interactive presentation, prompting them to think critically about current legislative issues. Students broke into smaller, educator-led groups to debate whether phones should be banned in schools and then cast mock ballots to vote on the topic discussed. Students received an inside look at the county judicial system as they watched mock sentencings or trials and asked questions during their visit to the courtrooms. To end the day, students witnessed a demonstration from members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit.
Youth in Government Day began in the 1970s, when it was first organized by Daniel T. Murphy, Oakland County’s first county executive. For almost the last two decades, the program has been arranged by the Board of Commissioners. Youth in Government Day continues to encourage students to understand the ways local government affects their lives and communities, and to increase their participation in this critical area of government.
