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Fourth Graduating Class of NRL
Academy Celebrates Six Weeks Together, By Megan McCrum Last night the 4th class of the National Right to Life Academy celebrated its graduation and today their six weeks in Washington comes to a close. The students are heading back home to their respective schools and home states equipped to put their energy to work for the movement like never before. This very weekend Natalie Fohl will be speaking at Camp Esther, a pro-life teen camp sponsored by New York State Right to Life. Devyn Nelson is already organizing coordination between college pro-life groups all over North Dakota. Each student will find their own way to defend the defenseless in their future professional path of life, but it is certain that there is a way for each of them.
The Academy opened at the NRL Convention in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, where the students had the thrilling opportunity to hear the remarks of pro-life House Minority Leader John Boehner, congressman from Ohio. Once they arrived in Washington D.C. they quickly adapted to the daily routine of classes--lectures on specific issues and the history of the movement in the morning, and afternoons of "practicum." The practicum sessions required oral exercises like speeches, simulated lobbying, debates and media interviews. Roger Stenson, a board member of NRLC and former executive director of three of NRLC's state affiliates, served as a guest instructor for this summer's program. Stenson said that providing constructive feedback to the students' practicum exercises was the highlight of his summer. "They are wonderful," was his refrain of the summer. Their regular schedule was punctuated by some unforgettable field trips. They went to the Emancipation Memorial on Capitol Hill and saw a statute of Abraham Lincoln that honored his overarching role in bringing an end to slavery in the United States. When this statue was unveiled in 1876 the great abolitionist leader Frederick Douglas honored Lincoln and disavowed his own earlier opposition to Lincoln's incremental approach towards ending slavery and expressed his appreciation for Lincoln's incremental vision. They also went to the Capitol to visit Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. Congressman Smith took two hours out of his day to talk to the students, sharing with them the passion that drives him to defend the unborn in the halls of Congress. After living for six weeks at the George Washington University dorms, cooking weekly "family dinners," and playing vigorous games of Ultimate Frisbee on the National Mall, the students have formed a close-knit connection. They have become a microcosm of the movement--citizens from all corners of the country, who would not even know each other if not for the cause that stirred them to devote their summer to learning about life. The ripple effect this small group of students will have on the future of the pro-life movement is something we cannot yet imagine. Editor's note. Please send all of your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com. If you like, join those who are now following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/daveha. |
