2022 Pro-Life Essay Contest
Congratulations to the Pro-Life Essay Contest Winners!
Brought to you by the Culture of Life Studies Program and the Institute for Excellence in Writing!
We are so proud of all the entrants, and we had a difficult time choosing winners. The beautiful essays below give us hope and should inspire us all to protect the vulnerable as we help build a culture of life.
We encourage you to read their essays and share them with your families.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Middle School
(5th-8th grade)
Essay Prompt:
How can the example of your favorite pro-life saint lead you to live a life dedicated to protecting vulnerable people?
Write 500 words responding to the essay prompt. Have your parent, legal guardian, or teacher submit your essay using this form.
If you have any issues submitting your essay using the form, you can email it directly to clsp@all.org.
Deadline: Extended!! The deadline is now November 7, 2022 (11:59pm Pacific time)
High School
(9th-12th grade)
Essay Prompt:
Changing hearts and minds requires us to speak kindly and with compassion while we stand up for the truth. In the case of abortion, this means that we must teach that a preborn baby is a baby from the first moment of creation. How can you stand up for the truth in charity yet not compromise the truth? In a well-thought-out 500-word essay, explain what you would say to someone who advocates for abortion.
Write 500 words responding to the essay prompt. Have your parent, legal guardian, or teacher submit your essay using this form.
If you have any issues submitting your essay using the form, you can email it directly to clsp@all.org.
Deadline: Extended!! The deadline is now November 7, 2022 (11:59pm Pacific time)
2022 Prizes
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes, plus an honorable mention, will be given for both middle and high school.
Middle School (5th-8th grade)
1st Place
“Strength and a Smile” by Maryrose Therese Campbell
$250
Publication in Celebrate Life Magazine
A one-year subscription to Celebrate Life Magazine
A copy of CLSP’s Maximilian Kolbe lesson
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
2nd Place
“Defending the Vulnerable” By Xavier Opalacz
$150
Publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
A copy of CLSP’s Maximilian Kolbe lesson
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
3rd Place
“Saint Damien: Helper of the Helpless” by Eve Morse
$75
Publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
A copy of CLSP’s Maximilian Kolbe lesson
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
Honorable Mention
“Honoring Life” by Jordi Hagen
$25 and publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
High School
1st Place
“Walking through the Hurt Together” by Naomi Shipley
$250
Publication in Celebrate Life Magazine
A one-year subscription to Celebrate Life Magazine
Who Was the REAL Margaret Sanger? DVD
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
2nd Place
“Speaking in Love” by Angela Thorne
$150
Publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
Who Was the REAL Margaret Sanger? DVD
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
3rd Place
“Truth with Love” by Anastasia Griesbauer
$75
Publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
Who Was the REAL Margaret Sanger? DVD
An assortment of pro-life goodies (stickers, prayer cards, bookmarks, and pins)
Honorable Mention
“Truth with Charity” by Mary-Clare Franco
$25 and publication on the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website
2022 Pro-Life Essay Contest Rules
- Submissions must be the original and previously unpublished work of the student.
- Use only your own work; plagiarism is not tolerated.
- Only one entry permitted per contestant.
- Only essays that respond to the essay prompt will be considered.
- The contest is open to students in grades 5-12.
- All essays must be submitted by a parent, legal guardian, or teacher.
- All submissions become the sole property of American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program, which reserves the right to edit submissions for publication.
- We accept electronic submissions only; you can submit your entry below. If you have any trouble, let us know and we’ll help.
- Use the appropriate Google form to submit all contact information: High School | Middle School
- Deadline: November 1, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time. We will notify contestants of the results during the month of December 2022.
- If you are a school submitting a large number of essays, please contact us; we can help you submit all essays as one large document.
2022 Essay Format
- Center the essay title at the top of the first page.
- Double space all text.
- All text must be 12 pt. font, and Times New Roman is preferred.
- Outside sources are optional and do not increase a student’s chance of winning. Visit https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html for more information about how to use MLA citations in the body of the essay as well as on a Works Cited page.