Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders encouraged Naperville youth to make their voices heard during his presentation at Naperville Central High School on Wednesday.

Sen. Sanders was in town on tour for his recent book, Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution. The book is a teen-focused guide to understanding today’s political world.

The auditorium was filled with NCHS and Naperville North High School students, many of whom seemed eager to listen, ask and answer questions. The message they received was clear: America’s youth should care about the government and the democratic process.

“Politics is important because policies will show whether you have jobs or no jobs, whether you have health care, whether we protect the environment, whether we address climate change,” Sanders said.

In November, shortly after ending his presidential bid, Sen. Sanders visited Naperville to speak to a sold-out crowd about his book Our Revolution. In addition to presenting at NCHS, he also spoke at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora on Wednesday night as another stop on his new book tour. Both events were sponsored by Anderson’s Bookshop.

Students in the audience at NCHS generally received the senator’s message well and happily volunteered to answer his questions throughout the speech. Sanders spoke almost like a school teacher, asking students about their opinions on wealth disparity and what they think are pressing problems in America.

Some of Sanders’ remarks were met with claps and cheers, one of them being about America’s struggle for equality and respect.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re Catholic, whether you’re Protestant, whether you’re Jewish, whether you’re Muslim, or who you are- in this country, we treat all people with equality,” Sanders said to a cheering crowd.

Students were also not afraid to challenge the self-described “democratic socialist.” After discussing the disagreements people have with his stance on wealth disparity and healthcare, Sanders asked the audience to defend his opponents. One student argued that wealthy people such as Bill Gates do not enter poor neighborhoods to steal money, but rather work hard to earn their wealth. The student’s argument was also met with supportive applause from the audience.

In an interview with ABC after his speech at NCHS, Sanders called for young Americans to stand up and say that their country can do better. He wants the youth to fight for their freedom.

“If your voice doesn’t matter now, you make it matter,” Sanders said. “You demand the people listen. You run through walls. You support candidates. You go out and make your concerns known and join the struggle of millions of people in fighting for fundamental changes.”