WHITTIER – La Serna High School student leaders participated in the school’s inaugural Student Leadership Conference on Sept. 27, where they received training on how to be effective student leaders on campus and how to best connect with their peers to create a fulfilling high school experience.

Link Crew leaders, academic mentors, academy leads, sports captains, Associated Student Body members and OASIS/HAVEN leaders made up the 295 students who attended the conference and heard from keynote speaker Felix Bobo. As an accomplished educator, businessman and leader, Bobo works to support and coach individuals on how to achieve higher levels of success.

“It was amazing to hear the unique leadership expertise from so many great speakers,” senior mentor Kaeya Hernandez said. “I learned about the importance of communication and actively listening to others, which will help me in my leadership position.”

During the conference, students engaged in breakout sessions that covered a wide range of leadership topics including emotional intelligence, the power of a story, and the importance of communication and conflict resolution.

Intervention Specialist Lisa Barnes said La Serna High’s team envisioned and planned the conference to help train, equip and support the many student leaders at La Serna High School.

“The conference made our students feel very valued,” Barnes said. “They were appreciative that the school spent time and resources on them and their development as leaders. We want to thank the school, our District, the Credit Union of Southern California, and others that supported us both financially and in making this day a reality for our students.”

The Leadership Conference aimed to teach students about the different ways to pursue strong communication, engage with their teams and encourage others in tangible ways.

“It was incredible to see our many student leaders so engaged and excited about participating in the conference,” Superintendent Dr. Monica Oviedo said. “These students truly embody our District mission ‘To Achieve and Maintain Excellence’ in every avenue of their lives.”

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WUHSD_CONFERENCE: La Serna High School students participate in the school’s first-ever Student Leadership Conference on Sept. 27 and engage in breakout sessions to learn more about communication, conflict resolution and more.