PROMOTING THE CULTURE OF LIFE ESSAY WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Polls show young people are becoming more and more pro-life – a sign of great hope for the future of our movement.  A good example is the Helen Donovan Memorial Essay Contest, sponsored by the Northern Virginia Chapter of Virginia Society for Human Life.  This year more than 70 students participated in two divisions of the contest:  a division for high school juniors and seniors; and another for high school sophomores. 

                Students wrote essays on the topic:  Promoting the Culture of Life.  Essays of at least 500 words were to discuss how we can promote and exemplify pro-life principles in the face of today’s moral erosion.   

                The winner of the main contest for juniors and seniors was Kelly Yanchulis, a student at Paul VI High School in Fairfax, Virginia.  The second place winner was Therese Smith, who attends Holy Family High School in Manassas, Virginia; and third place was Elias Naegele from The Heights High School in Potomac, Maryland.  Winners were given prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250, respectively.  Congratulations to Kelly, Therese, and Elias.

               The Helen Donovan Memorial Essay Contest is named in honor of an early active member of VSHL and a founding member of the national Nurses for Life organization.  Her work helped inspire many others to get involved in the pro-life movement and helped save countless lives. 

                Another contest, open to all high school juniors and seniors, will be held in December 2010.  For further information, write to the Northern Virginia Chapter of VSHL at P.O. Box 22681, Alexandria, VA  22306, or call chapter treasurer Don Parker at 202-626-8813.