Elise Vander Bleek, one of the National Leaders Collective‘s leaders of the month, is a Students for Life of America Thaddeus Stevens Fellow attending Newman Central Catholic High School in Sterling, Illinois. Learn more about Vander Bleek’s activism below. 

I am involved in the pro-life movement because I was raised to know right from wrong. Abortion is the murder of an innocent child, but not only that — it’s a harmful and traumatic experience to every woman who endures it. I am simply here as one of the many faithful young people looking to love all humans by helping put an end to this horror.

Through my time at Students for Life America, I have met devoted friends and the most amazing mentors, and also had the privilege of hearing firsthand where the movement is going and what progress has been made. Before my National Leaders Collective experience began, I had experience volunteering at a local pregnancy center and attending the National Pro-Life March every year with my family. Naturally, growing up I didn’t feel that I impacted the movement as much as my passion would demand. I applied for the Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship as an opportunity to help me start the journey to fulfill my potential in contributing to ending abortion. Students for Life’s National Leaders Collective has helped me grow into my voice as a leader and most of all helped me know that I am important to the movement. I have accomplished so much this year and I hope to make an even bigger impact in the future toward our common goal: making abortion unthinkable. 

This month, with much help from my faithful group members, I have helped to organize a successful trip to the National Pro-Life March in the U.S. capital with a select number of devoted members. In addition, our group was able to obtain enough funds from our local Knights of Columbus chapters to attend the Pro-Life Summit. Outside of D.C., our group has been happily writing letters to mothers in need of support after choosing life and organizing groups to be present at our local masses to pray for the protection of the unborn. Our group’s excitement has been high this month, but we are making sure not to let go of the little things because they are the most powerful!

The Students for Life National Leaders Collective has been and continues to be truly life-changing; I have met some of my best friends, grown my voice as a leader and become more comfortable functioning as a part of a large movement. My passion grows each day that I am a part of this group, especially seeing how authentic each of the mentors that I have looked up to since childhood really are.