My name is Katherine Kile. I am a senior and president of my high school Students for Life group. I am also blessed to be a Thaddeus Stevens Fellow, but being a leader in this movement, let alone pro-life, has not always been my story.

Before I came to high school, I followed the crowd and was pro-choice, to the point where I saw red when Roe was reversed. Yet, as I began high school, I got the privilege of going to my local Pregnancy Center, where I saw fetal models for the first time, took note of their tiny features, and vowed to protect both mom and baby for the rest of my life.

As a Thaddeus Stevens Fellow, I completed a project that aimed to effectively educate my peers. Because of my passion for film and writing, my group and I created a video series that reached 78 high school homerooms total across 5 videos, touching on topics such as chemical abortion — the number one type of abortion affecting teenagers — and the local Pregnancy Centers one can find in my area.

This project led to some impactful conversations with peers from all grades and helped change minds on abortion that were previously closed due to a lack of proper education and inundation with pro-choice propaganda. This video series segued into a second project in the spring that helped moms in need through local Pregnancy Centers.

The project collected baby items such as clothes and toys to donate, and also gathered maternity clothes for moms at pregnancy centers. We set up a donation drive with help from the women’s group at our school’s local parish and met our goal of filling 5 large boxes of items. The donations benefited two Pregnancy Centers, and my group helped organize and pack over 150 items to donate. Everyone involved loved standing with moms facing unplanned pregnancies.

Overall, during the past year, I have grown immensely as a pro-life leader. Through my Fellowship projects, I have learned the importance of delegation, communication, and effective management. With the help of my Fellowship leader, Chloe Osborne, I have also learned effective techniques for combatting hateful speech at events and leading a group through adversity, as well as how to effectively argue with pro-choice individuals. The Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship has been a life-changing opportunity, setting me up not only for success in the pro-life movement but also as a Christian leader in the world.