32nd Annual Central Valley Teen Parent Conference

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two hundred teen parents came together at a Fresno conference to learn, grow and become better caregivers for their children. One of those parents is 18-year-old Elice Ramirez.

"They just teach us in general about how to be a good parent and make sure that we are safe so we can keep our children safe as well," said Ramirez.

Ramirez became a mom and a single parent at the age of 13 to her daughter Daisy.

"She is a ball of sunshine," said Ramirez.

Daisy is now four and Ramirez is at Fresno City College. She credits support groups like teen success for her accomplishments. Those same resources were made available to other young parents at the conference through a health and career fair.

Kayla Wilson consultant with the Fresno County superintendent of schools says this is the first time many teens learn about different services available to them.

"Not only do a lot of our teens not know they are out there but sometimes adults with teens don't know that those services are out there," said Wilson.

Parents also get to connect and help each other by sharing experiences and giving advice, through what might be a trying time.

"I've helped so many girls get out of toxic environments as well as just with school stuff," said Ramirez.

Wilson says that over the years the teen pregnancy rate has decreased and that only encourages them to continue teaching young mom and dads how to be the best parents possible through the conference.