Prolife Youth Stand Out

Our state is home to countless young adults and their families who dedicate their lives to the prolife cause. Each year local communities and Right to Life affiliates throughout Michigan recognize the efforts of committed prolife teens in their area, and each year Right to Life of Michigan must choose the student that best exhibits the compassion and activist spirit that has come to define those within the prolife community.

This year, however, two such individuals rose to the top. Both Maricolleen Emmerson and Christine Tizedes were awarded the Right to Life of Michigan Outstanding Prolife Youth Award. Emmerson, part of Grand Rapids Right to Life, and Tizedes, with Wyandotte Right to Life, are both high school graduates and head off to college this Fall. Each young woman also plans to continue her prolife work on her college campus.

Christine , who has been home schooled, lives in Temperance and has been involved in the prolife movement her entire life. She has participated each year in the Wyandotte Life Walk, Oratory Contest, parades and prolife auction in addition to having raised money for their local pregnancy care center, traveled to Washington D.C. for the March for Life, prayed at abortion mills, attending our State's youth conferences, volunteered at the Rock for Life and Silent No More events and has had her soccer team sponsored by Wyandotte RTL.

Christine is confident her generation can make a huge difference. She writes, "By their incredible enthusiasm and dedication for creating and participating in faith filled, fun prolife activities, I know this generation can promote a positive prolife message. A huge, bright yellow "smiley face" sign declaring "I'm prolife" is the perfect way to describe the great joy I get when I think of our powerful generation ready to change the world!"

Maricolleen, or MC for short, has led an equally impressive young life. Attending West Catholic High School, MC was vice president and president of their Students for Life (SFL) group where she organized a money drive for the Pregnancy Resource Center and established a prolife t-shirt day. She has been active with Grand Rapids RTL, winning their oratory contest, working with their REALITY Drama Team, participated in their Life Chain and Focus on Life Dinner and attended SFL Day at the state level. MC also attended a SFL training seminar, helped with politician endorsement phone calls, was a prayer leader at a service for the unborn, attended March for Life and Legislative Day and observed the national Day of Silence.

MC has aspirations to become a professional photographer which has inspired her to express her prolife beliefs in new and creative ways. MC writes, "My heart has been set on fire. I have the drive and the support to take my passion and be an example for those who see abortion as a non-issue. I feel a calling to lead my generation to find an end to this injustice."

Right to Life of Michigan has proudly presented each of these outstanding young women with the prolife youth award which includes a $200 scholarship for their futures studies. If you or your affiliate would like more information about the annual award, please contact Amanda Peterman at 616-532-2300 or lifemedia.org

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