Over 1500 high school students from across Kern County came to Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield for the annual Leaders in Life Youth Conference.

The theme of Thursday’s event was “Can You Hear Our Rights and Voices?”, and Frontier High sophomore Alesha Blaauw thinks the workshops and motivational speakers help young people stand up for themselves.

Local teens organized the entire gathering, which is the largest of its kind on the west coast.

Kelli Forsch