FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Ciancio at sciancio@all.org
September 18, 2026 (Fredericksburg, VA) — Nearly 500 young people put their thoughts on human dignity into words last year, and their voices reached audiences throughout the country. Now, the Culture of Life Studies Program is inviting middle and high school students nationwide to do it again through its annual Pro-Life Essay Contest, cosponsored by the Institute for Excellence in Writing and open through Nov. 7.
The contest invites students to reflect on some of the most important questions surrounding human life and dignity today, with this year’s prompts addressing contemporary medical practices, human vulnerability, and the responsibilities of individuals and society.
The response last year was extraordinary: Nearly 500 students entered, making it the largest number of entries in the program’s 14-year history. Entries came from Catholic and private schools, homeschool families, religious education programs, and public schools.
“We had the most entries since the inception of this contest,” said Susan Ciancio, director and executive editor of the Culture of Life Studies Program. “We read hundreds of incredible essays, and we are so proud not only of all the winners but of every child who took the time to express his or her thoughts and enter. We cannot wait to read this year’s essays.”
Giving Young People a Voice
This year’s prompts invite students to reflect on what it means to protect human dignity in the face of difficult questions and circumstances.
High school students will examine a modern medical practice—abortion, IVF, euthanasia, prenatal screening, or organ donation—and consider it through the words of physician and geneticist Dr. Jérôme Lejeune: “We must always be on the patient’s side, always.” Students will explore who the patient is, what it means to act in that person’s best interests, and how the benefits and risks of medical technology relate to human dignity, rights, and the responsibilities of physicians and society.
Middle school students will focus on a particular stage or circumstance of human life, such as life before birth, disability, serious illness, or old age. Drawing on the teaching of St. John Paul II, students will defend the inherent value and dignity of people who may be vulnerable, dependent on others, or facing difficult circumstances. They will consider the challenges that can threaten that dignity and propose concrete ways individuals, families, communities, and society can respond with greater respect, compassion, and protection.
In both divisions, students will put these ideas into a 500-word essay that combines thoughtful reflection, clear reasoning, and specific examples.
But the contest is about more than writing.
CLSP hopes the experience will help children develop courage, compassion, and confidence while honing their ability to research their beliefs, articulate them clearly, and stand firm when their views challenge the prevailing culture.
Last year, one young contestant wrote about being bullied because of serious health challenges. Rather than responding with anger or revenge, he wrote about choosing kindness, prayer, and a desire to “shine Christ’s light” to others. His essay demonstrated precisely what CLSP hopes to cultivate: young people who can put their faith into action even when doing so is difficult.
And the impact doesn’t have to stop with the student. Winning essays will be published on CLSP’s website and social media, giving young writers the opportunity to share their ideas with an audience far beyond their classroom.
Prizes and Contest Information
The top four winners in each age group will receive prizes, including cash, books courtesy of Ascension and author Patrick O’Hearn, CLSP lesson booklets, reflection journals, pro-life saint cards, mini rosaries, and more.
The contest runs Sept. 18 through Nov. 7.
For complete contest rules, prompts, and submission information, visit prolifeessay.com.
About the Culture of Life Studies Program
The Culture of Life Studies Program creates Catholic pro-life educational materials that help parents and educators teach children about the dignity of every human being and equip them with the knowledge, courage, and compassion to live and defend their faith.