Students prepare weekly for annual March for Life
By Brunelle Lewis, Youth Speak News
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Leading up to the annual March for Life in Ottawa, youth from across the country spend months busily preparing themselves for the event. And when they return home, the issue remains for many a priority.
At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School in Mississauga, a group of enthusiastic students was among the thousands of Catholic students who prepared for the annual pilgrimage, which took place May 13. Students who attend the March usually come back to share their experience and newfound knowledge with their peers. The school organized its first trip for the rally last year after history teacher Paul Medeiros inspired a class with a discussion comparing abortion to a modern Holocaust.
At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School in Mississauga, a group of enthusiastic students was among the thousands of Catholic students who prepared for the annual pilgrimage, which took place May 13. Students who attend the March usually come back to share their experience and newfound knowledge with their peers. The school organized its first trip for the rally last year after history teacher Paul Medeiros inspired a class with a discussion comparing abortion to a modern Holocaust.
“As a class, we decided not to remain silent (on the issue of abortion). So a significant number of students decided to go (to the March), and afterwards start a pro-life club,” Medeiros said.
Medeiros, along with teachers Patricia De Cordova and Wassim Resko, are supervisors for the club and its trip.
Students who attended last year’s rally began the Pro-Life Club at Mount Carmel to spread awareness in the school and raise funds for their 2010 trip.
Grade 11 student Monica Schlote was appalled to learn about Canada’s abortion figures.
“Knowing that a heart starts beating at three weeks, the facts hit hard — thousands of babies die per year. (Also) knowing how human these babies truly are and how they lack a voice to plead for life inspired me to join the March for Life (so I could) be their voice,” Schlote said.
Classmate Zachary Bautista agreed and said that taking part in the rally is his calling to represent the unborn.
“Life is a gift given to us,” he said. “Having an unwanted pregnancy may be a mistake in the eyes of a couple that has had unsafe sex, but two wrongs don’t make a right. Having an abortion will not solve anything and will only further their mistakes. I believe everyone has the right to life and every innocent unborn baby should have the opportunity to live.”
And so the students created a club to promote that same idea — that every life is precious, regardless of whether or not it is “born.”
In preparation for this year’s March, the club met weekly to discuss the issue and how to raise awareness. The club has researched different statistics about abortion and what constitutes life to help educate the rest of their school through announcements, posters and presentations. Club members have also hosted a day of silence, civvies (or dress down) day, bake sale and sold silicon bracelets which read “Choose Life” to raise awareness and funds for their trip.
(Lewis, 18, is a journalism student at Carleton University.)
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