Commissioners hear plan to reactivate youth 'mock commissioners' program
February 16, 2026 | Northampton County, North Carolina
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Speaker 6 presented a proposal to reactivate a youth "mock commissioners" program in Northampton County, saying the initiative would "empower the next generation of Northampton County leaders" by giving eighth-grade students a hands-on introduction to local government. The program, proposed in partnership with the Northampton County Chamber of Commerce and Northampton County Schools, would begin with a cohort of up to five student "youth commissioners," ideally one from each commission district, each paired with a county commissioner as a mentor.
The presenter described a typical event outline modeled on earlier sessions: a roughly 10-minute welcome and recognitions, comments from the superintendent, department head introductions, student introductions, a mock public hearing driven by student-selected topics and a short break, followed by a lunch and follow-up mentoring activities. The stated goals include improving civic literacy, public-speaking and advocacy skills, exposing students to county operations and department work, and encouraging family and community engagement when students participate.
On funding and logistics, the presenter said staff and commissioners are discussing business partnerships and sponsorships to keep the program cost neutral for taxpayers. She proposed scheduling the first mock meeting in April to coincide with National County Government Month and suggested holding two mock meetings annually and developing a program calendar for 2026–27. The presenter recognized collaborators by name, including Judy Collier, Robin Phillips and Dr. Kevin Edwards, and asked the board to consider approving the concept at the next commissioners' meeting.
Chair Martin and other commissioners voiced support for the idea during the meeting. The next step identified by staff was staff-level planning and a formal board approval at a future meeting, including selecting a date and confirming Northampton County Schools' role in student selection.
The presenter described a typical event outline modeled on earlier sessions: a roughly 10-minute welcome and recognitions, comments from the superintendent, department head introductions, student introductions, a mock public hearing driven by student-selected topics and a short break, followed by a lunch and follow-up mentoring activities. The stated goals include improving civic literacy, public-speaking and advocacy skills, exposing students to county operations and department work, and encouraging family and community engagement when students participate.
On funding and logistics, the presenter said staff and commissioners are discussing business partnerships and sponsorships to keep the program cost neutral for taxpayers. She proposed scheduling the first mock meeting in April to coincide with National County Government Month and suggested holding two mock meetings annually and developing a program calendar for 2026–27. The presenter recognized collaborators by name, including Judy Collier, Robin Phillips and Dr. Kevin Edwards, and asked the board to consider approving the concept at the next commissioners' meeting.
Chair Martin and other commissioners voiced support for the idea during the meeting. The next step identified by staff was staff-level planning and a formal board approval at a future meeting, including selecting a date and confirming Northampton County Schools' role in student selection.
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