YMCA hosts annual Training and Elections Leadership Conference

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Nearly 4,000 high school students representing California YMCA Youth and Government packed the Fresno Convention Center this weekend.

The group kicked off its 70th program year with an annual Training and Elections Leadership Conference.

Over the last three days, youth delegates elected their secretary of state and selected their party candidate during a youth governor primary.

Some students say the program has helped them become politically active.

Celine Cuadra said, "All of us want to make a change and youth and government provide us that platform to make a change even if it's in our teenage community at these conferences."

California YMCA Youth and Government is a six-month program in which 9th through 12th-grade students statewide, role-play various positions of the California State Legislature and state court systems.

Student delegates also get the opportunity to draft bills and prepare briefs about issues that most affect them.