Academy Deadline Extended!

It's not too late! College students interested in receiving an outstanding education from the leaders of the pro-life movement still have time to apply to the National Right to Life Academy.

The NRL Academy is a five week summer program located in Washington, D.C., at National Right to Life's headquarters. Students spend their days studying with the country's experts on abortion, euthanasia, and
medical ethics; by completing the course, students can earn three college credits through the Franciscan University of Steubenville's Human Life Studies program. 

Although the Academy's curriculum is challenging, the summer is not without fun! Attendees have ample time in the evenings and on the weekends to explore the city and visit its many attractions. Best of all? You're guaranteed to make solid pro-life friendships with people from all over the country. 

North Carolina has had the privilege of sending a total of five students to the NRL Academy since its founding in 2007. This is, in part, due to the Scholarship for Life, a full-tuition scholarship for one NC student each year. 

Still need convincing? Here's what some of our graduates have to say about the Academy:

"This summer has reaffirmed and strengthened my knowledge and hope of the pr-life movement. I have made connections that I will cherish for a lifetime. I am truly blessed to be chosen to this lifetime opportunity." -Will Moore, 2013

"The Academy has made me more aware of how much we have accomplished in the movement and how much work that needs to be done. It renewed my enthusiasm to protect the vulnerable among us." -Teresa Pincus, 2012

"My five weeks at the Academy gave me a greatly expanded knowledge about various life issues, but more importantly, I learned how to effectively implement that knowledge by practicing lobbying, debating, and giving speeches. I still use these important skills in discussions today.... The Academy is a place where pro-life students can meet each other and form lasting friendships in support for life." -Sarah Urdzik, 2012 

To apply to the Academy, simply send in the form found here. Then, fill out the Scholarship for Life application and inform our office of your interest in attending the Academy. 

It's That Time of Year Again!

The National Right to Life Academy is once again accepting applications! If you are a college student interested in a summer in Washington, D.C. and a life-changing pro-life education, this is for you! 

What is the Academy? From the website: 

The National Right to Life Academy is a unique, five-week academic summer course for college students who are eager to put their pro-life passion to work. Students have the opportunity to earn 3 college credits through the Human Life Studies Program from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

$3600 tuition includes lodging at a university residence in downtown Washington, D.C., registration, room and board at the 2014 National Right to Life Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, and five weeks of the most comprehensive pro-life education around

If you're looking at the tuition cost and thinking, "I could never afford that," that's okay. Every year, North Carolina Right to Life offers the Scholarship for Life, which covers tuition for one student. When you apply to the Right to Life Academy, contact our office and let us know you're interested. We'll be happy to work with you through the application process. 

Since 2007, five students have represented North Carolina at the Academy. Their enthusiasm for the Academy is unparalleled, and if you'd like a student's perspective of the program, check out what they have to say here. 

Applications for the Summer 2014 course are due by March 15th, so hurry and apply today!

7 Quick Takes!

1. Sometimes it's easy to take technology for granted, but we think that images of life in the womb never grow old! These are so beautiful. 

2. Earlier this week, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards got a lot of attention when she posted a video saying that #WhatWomenNeed for Valentine's Day is access to abortion. For obvious reasons, people took issue with that. We saw lots of great responses, including this article from National Right to Life, Women Speak for Themselves' photo album, and this "What Women REALLY Need" photo album from New Wave Feminists. Great work, everyone!

3. Attention aspiring filmmakers! National Right to Life's annual video contest is now accepting submissions. This is a fun way to use your talents to give voice to the voiceless, and the prizes are great! 

4. Speaking of exciting opportunities from National Right to Life, the annual Right to Life Academy is just around the corner! College students have another month to apply for this life-changing summer training camp. Don't forget, if you're a student in North Carolina, you can apply for our Scholarship for Life, too!

5. National Right to Life recently released a report on "The State of Abortion in the United States." Packed full of facts, charts, and images, it is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about this controversial issue.

6. Would you believe that a lingerie company is making some of the most beautiful pro-woman, pro-life videos ever? Titled "My Beautiful Woman," each celebrates the strength of women. This is one. Grab a few tissues and prepare to be moved.

7. Happy Valentine's Day! Remind someone that you love them! 

Upcoming Student-Friendly Events

Have you ever wanted to get your teens more involved in pro-life activities? North Carolina Right to Life offers many opportunities for you and your family to learn about and participate in the pro-life world. Below are descriptions of some of our upcoming events, and we’d love to see you at some!

Prayer Breakfast for Life (January 18): Every January, NCRTL sponsors a morning of fellowship and prayer in Downtown Raleigh on the day of the local March for Life. Guests enjoy a buffet-style breakfast, hear from a featured speaker, and are led in prayer for an end to abortion. This is a great opportunity to meet other pro-lifers, hear from famous speakers, and receive inspiration for the coming year. This year’s featured speaker is Steven Mosher, President of The Population Research Institute. 

Tickets are required for this event, and can be purchased here. Guests will have the opportunity to buy a resource book, which can also be purchased here (order soon, as quantities are limited). Books will also be available after the March for Life. 

Rally and March for Life (January 18): Washington, D.C. is famous for its huge annual March for Life, but for those who can’t or don’t want to travel, we have one in downtown Raleigh! Join us at Nash Square at 1 o’clock (right after the prayer breakfast, and only 3 blocks away) for a short rally, followed by a march through the streets. Families, youth groups, and church groups especially enjoy this event. Of course, the national March isn’t until the 22^nd, so you can come to both if you like!

Pro-Life Essay Contest (deadline January 22): Attention students in grades 7-12! The annual National Right to Life Pro-Life Essay Contest is accepting submissions through January 22^nd. Each essay should address the subject “Why I Am Pro-Life” in 300-500 words. Not only is this a great chance to practice writing skills, it’s also a good time to learn how to articulate one’s pro-life beliefs. As an added bonus, the top three essays in each category receive monetary prizes! What’s there to lose?

Pro-Life Oratory Contest (May 17): Every May, NCRTL sponsors a statewide oratory contest in Greensboro. Winners receive a certificate, free admittance to Camp Joshua, and the opportunity to attend the National Right to Life Convention to compete on the National level. Please note that a short application must be submitted by April 15^th in order to participate.

Camp Joshua NC (July 18-20): Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to attend this fun weekend camp to learn more about pro-life issues and meet like-minded peers. Students attend educational workshops on abortion, euthanasia, and stem cell research, as well as leadership sessions to learn how to share the pro-life message effectively. The goal of Camp Joshua NC is to send young people back to their communities with the knowledge and confidence to promote the pro-life message.

NRL Academy (Summer 2014): College students interested in furthering their pro-life education should seriously consider attending the Right to Life Academy, a five-week program held at National Right to Life’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. A self-described “pro-life boot camp,” the NRL Academy gives students the unique opportunity to learn from some of the country’s top pro-life leaders and earn college credit. Every year, students attend the Academy and come back with the knowledge, education, and support necessary to make a difference. North Carolina is privileged to offer the Scholarship for Life; this scholarship covers the Academy tuition and lodging for one NC student each year.

As you can see, there's lots going on for young people in North Carolina!

Why Should a College Student Attend the NRL Academy?

Why should a college student take five weeks of their summer to go to the NRL Academy?

We asked this question to the four North Carolina graduates of the Academy, and here’s what they told us!

Andrew Votipka, a 2010 graduate, has reason to be grateful for his time at the Academy. Not only did he get an amazing pro-life education, he also met his wife Natalie there! Andrew describes the Academy as “much more than an internship.” “If you could have learned from the leaders of the abolitionist movement, would you?” he asks. “Well the teachers at the Academy are quite literally the founders and current leaders in the right to life movement!”

Andrew has used his Academy education to promote a culture of life at UNC-CH, campaign for pro-life candidates, lobby, and volunteer whenever possible. Natalie works for New York State Right to Life, where Andrew also volunteers. They are pleased to announce that they are expecting their first baby soon. Congratulations, Andrew and Natalie!

Christina Geradts, Class of 2011, praises the Academy’s curriculum and says “It prepares you for real-life conversations you may have.” She notes that the oral practicum sessions, which require the student to mock lobby, debate, and give speeches on the issues, are especially helpful for this. “After the Academy, I’ve definitely been more confident speaking out on pro-life issues . . . . Additionally, I have people I can contact for help with these issues as well.”

After the Academy, Christina served as president of UNC-CH’s Students for Life group. She now teaches high school English in Raleigh and helps coordinate the school’s pro-life activities.

Teresa Pincus and Sarah Urdzik attended the Academy in 2012. Sarah, a UNC-CH student, and Teresa, an NC State student, had mutual acquaintances but didn’t know each other before meeting at the Academy. Like many other Academy graduates, they are grateful for the friendships they made at the Academy and the support network these friendships provide. Teresa also calls the knowledge she gained “priceless,” and Sarah agrees, adding, “More importantly, I learned how to effectively implement that knowledge by practicing lobbying, debating, and giving speeches. I still use these important skills in discussions today.”

Both young women are the presidents of their university Students for Life groups, and they note how the Academy has helped them more effectively lead their organizations. Teresa has started sidewalk counseling at a nearby abortion facility, noting that the Academy “renewed my enthusiasm to protect the vulnerable among us.”

Andrew, Christina, Sarah, and Teresa all enthusiastically recommend the Academy to college students who are interested in becoming effective pro-life leaders. As their experiences illustrate, an Academy education equips young people to become valuable assets to their state and local Right to Life organizations, inspires them to be more actively involved, and ensures a future for the pro-life movement.

For more information about the Academy, visit http://www.nrlc.org/Academy/index.html

To apply for the North Carolina Scholarship for Life, visit http://ncrtl.org/nc-scholarship-for-life/

Hurry, the application deadline ends soon! 

NRL Academy Accepting Applications for Summer 2013

Every summer, thousands of young people flock to D.C. for internships, study programs, and summer jobs, many of them headed to National Right to Life. Every year, NRLC offers several internships as well as something a little more unique—the National Right to Life Academy.

Founded in 2007, the NRL Academy is a self-described “pro-life educational boot-camp for student leaders who want to refine their pro-life passion.” College-age students spend five weeks in D.C. learning everything from the history of the pro-life movement to the arguments against abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide from respected leaders of the pro-life movement.  In addition to lectures, much of the Academy curriculum focuses on using the arguments in sessions called practicum. During practicum, students give speeches, participate in debates, and lobby instructors for hypothetical pro-life legislation. Though challenging, practicum helps students learn how to use pro-life arguments effectively in real-world situations.

Graduates of the Academy have gone on to lead their college pro-life groups, work for various state affiliates, counsel in pregnancy resource centers, and lend their time and talents in many other ways.

This summer’s Academy begins June 27^th, but applications are due by March 15^th. North Carolina students should know that they can apply for the NC Scholarship for Life, which covers the cost of the Academy tuition. Interested students must first be accepted into the Academy before applying for the scholarship.

For more information about the Academy, visit http://www.nrlc.org/Academy/. Applications are available online.

For more information about the NC Scholarship for Life, visit http://ncrtl.org/nc-scholarship-for-life/.

Sarah Urdzik, 2012 NC Scholarship for Life Recipient

Sarah Urdzik

Sarah Urdzik, a junior at UNC-CH, is the recipient of the 2012 NC Scholarship for Life. The scholarship goes to pay the tuition to attend the NRL Academy this summer in DC.  

According to Sarah: "I have always been pro-life as far as I can remember; in school, I would always give witness to and defend life in discussions, both inside and outside of the classroom. I was also active in my church’s youth group, and through it starting participating in the March for Life my junior year of high school."

Sarah is currently very involved with the Student for Life group at UNC-CH and will assume the responsibility of being their President for the 2012-2013.  She stated, "It is my hope that by attending the NRL Academy this summer, I can learn better techniques of how to interact with a college environment that is incredibly hostile to the culture of life, and ways in which I can work with my university to help provide women seeking abortion with better alternative options."

The NC Scholarship for Life was first established in 2011 through the generosity of a donor who has pledged to support the scholarship each year.  Last year's recipient was Christina Geradts, also a student at UNC-CH and the current President of the Students for Life at UNC-CH.