GUEST POST: Students for Life of America (SFLA) is proud to accept amazing students like Ella Schumacher, a senior at Kalida High School, into our leadership programs through the National Leaders Collective (NLC). For the 2023-2024 school year, Schumacher will be a part of the Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship program, becoming an expert in high school pro-life leadership and leading her group in five events highlighting each of SFLA’s Five Pillars of Pro-Life Activism.  

Get to know more about Schumacher below:  

Why did Schumacher join the pro-life movement? 

“I have always been shy and quiet, and I started getting involved in the pro-life movement the summer before my junior year of high school. I struggled with anxiety and depression, and I was always looking for a purpose. I met Jamie Curry who is SFLA’s Ohio Regional Coordinator, and her excitement for the movement got me excited. I then had a longing to do more. SFLA staff like Jamie gave me the courage to start a group at school. The pro-life movement gave me a purpose, and I got to see all life, including mine, mattered.” 

How has Schumacher grown as a leader already?  

In October 2022, Schumacher joined the Pro-Life Gen Voices Program. Though shy at first, she quickly gained confidence in her ability as a pro-life leader. Shortly thereafter, she started an SFLA group at her campus: Kalida High School. Wanting to go even further, she applied and was accepted to join the NLC as a Thaddeus Stevens Fellow. 

Some of her accomplishments from just this past year include: 

Schumacher’s SFLA group, Kalida Students for Life, won High School Group of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. She and her group members were able to receive the award this past summer in Washington, D.C. at the kickoff weekend of the 2023-2024 National Leaders Collective. You can read more about her group’s incredible work to win this honor here.  

Schumacher also planned and hosted the Putnam County Walk for Life right before the November election in Ohio. This included hosting multiple speakers and organizing tabletops. Though Issue 1 sadly passed in Ohio, her county had the highest percentage of “no” votes.  

Another accomplishment was a baby shower that her group hosted for an expectant mother in their community. They decorated and planned the wonderful event for her and were able to supply her with diapers, clothes, and more to help her through a season of financial difficulty. 

How has Schumacher’s involvement with SFLA impacted her so far? 

 “My journey as a pro-life activist has been a roller coaster, but SFLA was there and gave me the confidence and courage to keep going. SFLA helped me find a purpose so I will make it my purpose to support mothers and their babies.” 

The Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship is just one of NINE different leadership opportunities within the National Leaders Collective. Applications open each January for group leaders of SFLA groups to apply for a year of mentorship, opportunities, and education with SFLA. 

Have questions about which program is the right program for you? Click HERE.