Stand True, the Youth Outreach of Priests for Life, is excited to announce our annual pro-life essay contest! We invite students to apply their writing skills to galvanize and educate others about the pro-life cause across the country!
Read the press release here.
We will have three age groups with cash prizes for all groups. Essays should be between 500 and 800 words.
Topic
The topic of this year's essay is "Why I Am Pro-Life in a Culture that Promotes Abortion".
Essays should explore the challenges of being pro-life and the importance of helping peers understand that every abortion ends a human life.
Students are also invited to reflect on this in the light of the fact that 2026 will celebrate the 250th birthday of America, founded on the principle of the right to life.
Prizes
College Category
- $1,000 cash prize
- Plaque
- Essay published in Priests for Life newsletter
- Interview on our broadcast
- Recognition at the National Prayer Service on the day of the March for Life in Washington, DC (if present, winners pay their own way)
High School Category
- $500 cash prize
- Plaque
- Interview on our broadcast
- Recognition at the National Prayer Service on the day of the March for Life in Washington, DC (if present, winners pay their own way)
Junior High School Category
- $300 cash prize
- Plaque
- Interview on our broadcast
- Recognition at the National Prayer Service on the day of the March for Life in Washington, DC (if present, winners pay their own way)
How to Submit
Essays can be submitted through:
Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, November 7, 2025 (postal mail entries must be postmarked by November 7th).
NOTE: All entries will be run through AI detection. Any written with any AI assistance will be disqualified.
Award winners will be announced on Tuesday, December 2, 2025!
We can't wait to read your essays, and we hope to see you in Washington, DC at the March for Life!
Don’t forget to register to vote! If you turn 18 before or on election day, you can register now.
1. Eligibility:
- The contest is open to students currently enrolled in junior high, high school, or college.
- Participants must submit their essays within the designated contest period.
- Each participant is allowed only one entry. Multiple submissions will result in disqualification.
- Essays must be the original work of the participant. Plagiarism in any form will result in immediate disqualification.
- AI generated essays will not be accepted.
2. Essay Requirements:
- Essays must be written in English.
- The essay should adhere to the word count specified in the contest guidelines.
- The essay should align with the contest theme or category, as specified by the organizers.
- Entries that are attachments to the website or to email must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
3. Submission Guidelines:
- Essays must be submitted through the official contest submission form by the stated deadline.
- Late submissions will not be accepted.
- No revisions will be accepted after the submission of the essay.
4. Judging Criteria:
- Essays will be evaluated based on originality, creativity, clarity of expression, persuasiveness, and adherence to the contest theme.
- The judging panel will consist of qualified individuals selected by the contest organizers.
- All decisions made by the judges are final and binding.
5. Prizes:
- Prizes will be awarded to the top entries in each educational level category (junior high, high school, college).
- The nature and value of the prizes are disclosed on the contest announcement page.
- Winners will be notified via the contact information provided in their submission form.
- Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other alternatives.
6. Intellectual Property Rights:
- By entering the contest, participants grant the organizers a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, distribute, and display the submitted essays in any media, including but not limited to websites, social media, broadcasts and print materials.
- Participants retain the copyright to their work.
7. Privacy:
- The personal information collected from participants will be used solely for the purpose of administering the contest.
- Personal information will not be shared with third parties without the consent of the participant.
8. General Conditions:
- The organizers reserve the right to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the contest in the event of any unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.
- The organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant who violates the contest rules or behaves in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
- The contest is void where prohibited by law.
9. Limitation of Liability:
- By entering the contest, participants agree to release and hold harmless the organizers, judges, sponsors, and affiliates from any claims or liabilities arising from their participation in the contest or acceptance of any prize.
10. Agreement to Terms:
- By participating in this contest, participants agree to abide by these terms and conditions. Failure to comply with these terms may result in disqualification.
11. Contact Information:
- For any questions or concerns regarding the contest, participants may contact the organizers at Contest@StandTrue.com.
For the Voiceless,
Bryan Kemper