The winners of the Virginia Society for Human Life, Inc., Educational Fund, Alex and Geline Williams Pro-Life Oratory Contest held in Richmond, Virginia on April 28th are:  first place was Miss Karilyn Sanford of Chesapeake, VA, sponsored by the VSHL Tidewater Chapter; the second place winner was Mr. Michael Rangel of Clifton, VA, sponsored by  Seton School; and the third place winner was Miss Marie Connole of Alexandria, VA, sponsored by Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School.

            Fifteen  finalists in their junior or senior year of high school competed.  Miss Sanford will represent Virginia at the Jane B. Thompson Oratory Contest national competition in Crystal City, Va, June 30.  This contest is held in conjunction with the annual National Right to Life Convention.

The Alex and Geline Williams Pro-Life Contest is the Virginia statewide pro-life oratory contest sponsored by the Virginia Society for Human Life Educational Fund.  It provides the youth of Virginia a way to seek the truth regarding the right to life, and having found it, to proclaim the truth. 

“This program gives high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to speak in defense of the unalienable right to life of all human beings and on the urgent need to protect them from the tragedy of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research,” stated Michele Arocha Allen, coordinator of the VSHL contest.

“All of this year’s speakers demonstrated an exceptionally high level of poise and understanding about these vital issues, “said Olivia Gans Turner, President of VSHL. “The Commonwealth of Virginia is fortunate to have so many eloquent defenders of human life rising up in the next generation.”

Founded in 1967, the Virginia Society for Human Life is the oldest state pro-life organization in the nation with chapters throughout the Commonwealth.  It is the Virginia state affiliate to the National Right to Life Committee 

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The Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL) held its annual Alex and Geline B. Williams Oratory Contest on May 9, 2009 in Richmond, VA. 

The winner of this year's event was Daniel Chris Tillson, a senior at Bishop O'Connell High School in Falls Church VA. 

Tillson spoke on the issue of euthanasia and the dangers of the denial of treatment for the vulnerable in our society. First place prize was $500.

Second place was taken by Lisa Hill from Seton High School in Manassas, VA, who spoke on the true value of each new life in the womb.  The second place prize was $250.

The VSHL Oratory Contest winner will represent Virginia at the national competition at the National Right to Life Committee's annual convention in Charlotte, NC, June 18-20, 2009. Scholarship prizes are for first place $1,000, second place $750, third place $500 and fourth place $250.

Nine students from across Virginia competed this year, including students from the Virginia Beach and Winchester area as well as Northern Virginia.  All that attended agreed that the quality of the speeches this year was outstanding!

"Virginia is fortunate to have so many fine young men and women eager to stand up in defense of innocent human life," said VSHL President Olivia L. Gans after the event.