Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Marianist Brother Lawrence Syriac holds a sign as he participates in the 26th annual Stand Up for Life roadside rally in Huntington Station, N.Y., on Respect Life Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (OSV News photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Essay contest open for entries for Respect Life Month 


By
Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Respect Life, Youth Ministry

As part of October’s Respect Life Month, the American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program, based in Fredericksburg, Va., plans to hold its 2025 Pro-Life Essay Contest.

CLSP, a pro-life educational program for kids in pre-K to 12th grade, creates standalone lesson booklets for parents or teachers in homes, schools and Catholic Christian education programs. These booklets examine important topics and use the lives of saints and pro-life heroes to help instill pro-life values in young people.

Every year during Respect Life Month, CLSP hosts an essay contest to encourage young people to articulate their pro-life beliefs. This year’s contest, cosponsored by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, Contend Projects and Team Iron Will, is for students in third to 12th grades.

Any student in that age range, regardless of where he or she goes to school, can enter the contest.

“CLSP’s Pro-Life Essay Contest gives students the opportunity to share their knowledge and thoughts about pro-life topics, and it’s a fantastic way for them to build their moral courage so that they will feel unashamed to stand up for the vulnerable and build a culture where all people – from creation until death – are respected and cherished,” said Susan Ciancio, director of CLSP, in a media release. “Writing about their values and explaining how they hope to live their pro-life beliefs are crucial steps in helping kids develop the courage necessary to go out into the world and become tomorrow’s pro-life leaders.”

This year, third and fourth graders are asked to use a Bible verse to reflect upon and write about human dignity, or they may research facts and write about a preborn baby’s development.

Students in middle school will write about the importance of moral courage when defending the vulnerable, or they may research the development of first-trimester babies and discuss ways to protect them.

And students in high school can write about treating those who have disabilities with authentic love and mercy, or they can interview parents of a child with a disability and discuss the child’s inherent value.

Prizes range from cash to pro-life gear to a book signed by noted pro-life author Mark Hart.

CLSP’s Pro-Life Essay Contest is open and runs through Nov. 7, midnight PST. 

Visit prolifeessay.com for the prompts, prizes and submission guidelines.

Read More Respect Life

Copyright © 2025 Catholic Review Media

Print Print