The timing couldn’t have been better. As students entered the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Auditorium on the morning of Feb. 6 for the 2026 Youth in Government Day event, the Michigan legislature had just passed a bipartisan bill package requiring public and charter K-12 schools to prohibit smartphone use during instructional time starting in the 2026-27 school year.

More than 100 local high school students – from eight public, private and charter schools – met in small groups to debate the pros and cons of school and classroom policies that restrict phone use and later voted in a mock election to make their voices heard.

And that was just one of the day’s many sessions.

Q&A with Oakland County officials and commissioners

Following a brief informational video that gave a view of the county and its operations, students heard directly from officials and representatives of several county elected offices, including the Clerk, Sheriff, Executive, Water Resources, Treasurer and Prosecutor. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions of the four commissioners in attendance, including Commissioners Ann Erickson Gault, Robert Smiley, Yolanda Smith Charles and Linnie Taylor.

Following a warm-up exercise that challenged their thinking on some of today’s hottest issues, students broke into small groups to debate what the cell phone ban would mean for them. 

The mock ballots that included the cell phone ban proposal question were issued to the high schoolers and staff from the Clerk/Register of Deeds office assisted students in feeding their ballots into tabulators. Clerk Lisa Brown revealed the results: approximately two-thirds of the students voted against the ban.

After lunch with their peers at the Courthouse Café, students headed to sessions focused on the judicial branch, including in the courtrooms of two judges and the jury selection room where students learned about mock trials, juvenile court and the jury selection process.

The end of the day went to the dogs – in the best possible way – with a visit from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. Rex and Cache not only charmed the crowd, but also demonstrated their skills by searching for and finding their targets – electronics and weapons.

It was an honor for the Board to once again host so many bright, engaged young people for its annual Youth in Government Day. Commissioners and staff are already looking forward to the 2027 event!

The Board extends very special thanks to longtime event partner Michigan State University Extension 4-H and everyone who helped make the day a success:

• Commissioner Ann Erickson Gault (District 3)
• Commissioner Robert Smiley (District 14)
• Commissioner Yolanda Smith Charles (District 17)
• Commissioner Linnie Taylor (District 18)
• Markeisha Washington, Chief of Family Support Division of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office
• Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jennifer Miles, Deputy Harmon and K-9 Rex, and Deputy Wiegand with K-9 Cache
• Clerk/Register of Deeds Lisa Brown
• Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash
• Treasurer Robert Wittenberg
• Tiffani Moncrief-Luke, Community Engagement Manager with the County Executive’s Office
• Ivy Ferguson, Jury Office Supervisor with the Oakland County Circuit Court
• Hon. Lorie N. Savin
• Hon. Michael Warren

For more on the day’s events, visit the Board’s website or check out the recap video.

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