Two OLOL Students Win Maryland Right to Life Essay Contest

First Place:
Adrianna Robinson (8th Grade)

My generation should be the one to end abortion, euthanasia, and any forms of assisted death. Our vision for the world should be one where every child is loved and accepted from the moment of conception and every person lives until the moment God has destined for them to die. Life is sacred and should be respected. Society should treat life as the precious gift it is. This simple idea goes back to Catholic social teaching. As a Catholic, I am called to love and respect all forms of life, young or old. We need to band together as children of God to create a loving society where every parent has the tools and resources to raise a child and every person has the resources to be cared for until their last breath.

I can help to build a pro-life generation by inspiring other young people by my example. One reason I believe people choose abortion is because they don’t think they can support the child once it is born. I think we should support struggling families. An example of one way my schoolmates and I help support parents struggling to make a pro-life choice right now is by filling up baby bottles with change to be given to new mothers to buy diapers and other baby supplies. Supporting families shows them and others that our community loves them and their babies, and that we truly believe they made a loving choice by choosing life.

I think we should value elders for wisdom and experience. Our society has medicaid, so that elders can receive assisted living. I think that assisted living is great, but I have seen first hand how much love helps elderly people prosper. I see how my grandmothers can make my grandfathers, who both had health issues, smile just when they walk into a room, and how seeing their grandchildren and listening to their stories makes them happy. For elderly people I think love is the best support we can give them.

Another example of a way I could help my generation band together to value life is to spread the word using social media. One reason I think this is a good idea is because I know about charities that help people who are struggling , but maybe the people who need help don’t know about them. Using social media could help put people who need assistance in touch with charities that will help them. Everybody is on social media at one point during their day, and one ad could get people talking about building a pro-life generation.

Love, social media, and support for families are just a few of the many ways I could contribute to help build a pro-life society. If everyone contributed in his or her own way and valued life as sacred, it would be easy to build a pro-life generation. I respect life and everyone else should too.

Second Place:
Max Walsh (8th Grade)

When I say that I’m pro-life, people call me conservative, devout, and even crazy. I just call myself a Christian. People these days are more concerned with the death penalty than with abortion. Murderers are put in jail where they receive comfortable rooms and food, while the U.S. president is supporting the killing of innocent babies. So how can I help? It’s as simple as praying for the doctors performing abortion, the babies being aborted, and the parents choosing abortion. Prayer is our biggest weapon against all evil.

I have stood outside abortion clinics trying to persuade families not to undergo an abortion, and praying for the doctors inside. Those who continue to walk inside do not leave feeling as good as they expected they would. There is no relief, and I see their sadness. I can tell by their forced smiles and sometimes sense I their regret. I know that they will carry the weight of killing an innocent baby for the rest of their life.

Every state has legalized abortion, and by doing so, they might as well legalize murder. That is simply what it is. Doctors tell their patients that there is something wrong with their baby and that they should have an abortion. None of us are perfect. Does that mean we should all be killed? Some ask, “What if a woman becomes pregnant unwillingly? Shouldn’t she be able to have an abortion?” Think about it, why should that baby have to be killed for his father’s crime? Do you think that’s fair?

When we can’t see the value of even a newborn’s life we lose respect for all life.
Hospitals aren’t even letting people live their full life anymore. When there is still a good chance of survival and recovery, doctors convince the families that there is none. And when the family has been persuaded that this is the compassionate way, they stop feeding the patient and they are left to die without dignity. This goes to show that if we can’t respect life at the moment of conception, how can we respect any life?
I can continue to stand up for those babies who cannot cry out and defend themselves.. I can also build the pro-life generation by denouncing organizations like Planned Parenthood, who are illegally selling aborted baby parts, and having conversations about their illegal abortions, and laughing about it, while still being funded by the United States government. I know I will have arguments about this topic, but I hope those with whom I disagree, will go home and think about what I have said, and have a change of heart.
All the ridicule, and all the hate is worth it if I can save even one life. I will continue this effort, and hopefully others will have the strength to do the same. And we need to pray for those people killing innocent babies, and love them nonetheless.