Students Pack 2nd Annual Respect for Life Student Leadership Conference!

Toronto Right to Life held its 2nd Annual Respect for Life Student Leadership Conference on Thursday, March 24^th, at St. Michael’s College of the University of Toronto.  The event, co-sponsored by the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s “Respect for Life Week” Planning Committee, and the University of Toronto Students for Life, was attended by 237 high school students and teachers from schools across Toronto, including a few from Oshawa and Ajax, Ontario as well.  14 schools in all were represented.   The theme of this year’s conference was “Toward a Future for Life!” 

A positive and action-oriented theme, it implies not only the ongoing immediate call to end the current situation of injustice to humanity’s most vulnerable members, a usual focus of such events, but goes further.  The students were also encouraged to look beyond the dark present regarding general cultural respect for life, toward a brighter future in which the right to life has been secured for all. 

Through the informative and inspirational messages of speakers Lia Mills (a Canadian youth whose Youtube videos have been seen around the world), Rebecca Richmond (Director of the National Campus Life Network), Theresa Gilbert (President, National Campus Life Network), Debbie Fisher (Toronto Right to Life speaker), and Lucy Schmidt (President of  University of Toronto Students for Life), the students were empowered to rise to this challenge, commit to the efforts it will require, and begin assuming responsibility for the continuation and completion of the pro-life movement in their lifetimes. 

Toronto Right to Life and National Campus Life Network unveiled their collaborative project for high school pro-life clubs, “Student Life Link” (see related item on Toronto Right to Life website).  Lia Mills cut a green ribbon in front of a projected screen shot of the Student Life Link website to mark the official debut. 

Many thanks to all students and teachers who attended, as well as to the TCDSB Respect Life Week Planning Committee, the U of T Students for Life and the Teachers’ Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association for their generous help and support.