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OCLife Announces Pro-Life Essay Contest for High School Students
OCLife has opened its first pro-life essay contest for high school juniors and seniors, with a $500 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the winner.
RIVERSIDE, CA — Orthodox Christians for Life (OCLife) has announced the inaugural Mary A. Riordan Pro-Life Essay Contest, inviting high school juniors and seniors to examine moral questions facing the Orthodox Church and propose ways to address them.
The contest honors Mary A. Riordan, a benefactress whose bequest helped revive the organization. Entries are due November 13, 2026, and the winner is expected to be announced in early December.
The winning student will receive a $500 scholarship, an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to attend the March for Life on January 22, and tickets to the National Pro-Life Summit on January 23. The scholarship will be awarded at OCLife’s Supporter Reception on January 21.
Participants may choose between two essay prompts. The first asks students to consider findings from the 2024 Pew Religious Landscape survey indicating that 60% of self-identified Orthodox Christians believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and to suggest ways to address what the organization describes as a catechetical crisis. The second asks how Orthodox youth leaders and camps can better support young people seeking to practice chastity amid secular social pressures.
OCLife said the contest aims to help young Orthodox Christians articulate the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of human life. The organization is encouraging parishes and faithful to share the contest flyer with eligible students.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Orthodox Christians would join the 2026 March for Life in D.C. in two weeks.
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