The M.E.Ch.A. club hosted its annual youth conference Feb. 24 at Bakersfield College to promote college after high school for 200 minority students from 19 schools.

The conference began in the auditorium with a series of motivational speakers, including Bakersfield Dean of Students Don Turney and professors Jack Brigham and Robert Torres, who spoke about the positive aspects attending college after high school.

The conference held six workshops for the students with themes pertaining to financial aid, Chicano studies, job placement, career pathways, college life and breaking inner-city youth violence.

“It went great,” said Jesse Ibarra, vice president of the club. Ibarra also said that the purpose of the conference was to encourage students who otherwise would not pursue higher education to do so. According to Ibarra, the goal was fulfilled.

Others agreed.

“We kind of opened up their eyes and made college seem more attainable,” said Department Assistant JoAnn Acosta, who helped out with the conference.

Acosta said that a few of the workshops were intended to show students how to qualify for financial aid and how to seek scholarships and grants, such as the Board of Governors Grant that covers tuition and health fees.

The total estimated cost of holding the conference was stated during a Student Government Association meeting Feb. 17 as $3,142.

M.E.Ch.A. had raised close to $1,700 before the meeting. Ibarra petitioned the SGA for $1,000 to help with the conference but was overwhelmed when the SGA unanimously approved $1,500 in support of the event.

Though a significant amount of the conference money was spent on food, motivational speakers and facility use, M.E.Ch.A. also awarded $250 in scholarship money.

“This is a good way to show that college is for everybody,” said Michael Flores, a group leader and old member of M.E.Ch.A.

Flores said that the conference explained that going to college after high school gave the students more of an opportunity to learn about their people and their history, areas of study that aren’t routinely studied in the high school curriculum.