Pro-life young people are encouraged to share their conviction for the sanctity of human life for the second annual essay contest sponsored by Priests for Life and its youth outreach Stand True.
The contest is open to students in junior high, high school, and college who attend public and private schools as well as those who are homeschooled. This year’s essay topic is Why I Am Pro-Life in a Culture that Promotes Abortion.
“Students are the most important people for us to educate and to inform,” said Bryan Kemper, Stand True’s founder and president and a member of the Priests for Life pastoral team.
“What better way to do that than to get them to research for themselves?” Kemper asked. “It helps them think about why they have their stance, what’s important to them – it helps them define their stance.”
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Essays should be 500-800 words long and explore the challenges of being pro-life and the importance of helping others understand that abortion ends a human life.
“Young people are not only the future of the pro-life movement, but their influence is important right now,” Kemper said in a press release.
Contest winners will receive a cash prize and a plaque. The college-level winning prize is $1,000. For high school students, the winner receives $500, and the junior high essay winner receives $300.
“When you offer a cash prize for an essay contest, and get them to start looking up things, finding out facts, discovering things, I think that’s a great way to educate this generation,” Kemper told Pregnancy Help News.
In addition to the cash and plaque, winners at the three levels will be recognized at the National Prayer Service in Washington, D.C., on the morning of the March for Life, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. Additionally, the winning essays also will be featured in Priests for Life publications, and winners will have the opportunity to be interviewed on the organization’s broadcasts.
One rule must absolutley be adhered to, Kemper said.
“We are very strict about no AI,” he stated.
Winners will be notified in the first week of December, he added.
Last year was the inaugural year for the contest, with about 100 entries, Kemper said.
“I think a lot of students are feeling like they are marginalized, or that they’re in the minority, and they want to be a voice,” he said.
“There are many pro-life students who call or email, and say things like, ‘Hey, Brian, what can I do to get involved?’” Kemper said. “So, we wanted to provide a really cool way for young people to get involved in the pro-life movement.”
There were numerous essays of good quality at all levels last year but the junior high essays in particular captivated him.
“They were just so passionate,” Kemper said.
He said the panel of judges had a difficult time choosing because of the quality of entries.
“We had to be extra picky about it,” Kemp said.
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Deadline for submissions to this year’s essay contest is Friday, November 7, 2025.
To learn more about the contest, visit the Stand True website: https://www.standtrue.com/
To submit an essay, visit this registration website: https://www.standtrue.com/EssayContest/form.aspx
Essays may be mailed or sent electronically.
Kemper expects another showing of superior writing.
“I think we’re going to see some of the most beautiful, vocal, and outspoken young people [through this contest],” he said.
