The Elsie Alexander High School Pro-Life Essay Scholarship was instituted in 1997 by the Lethbridge and District Pro-Life Association in recognition of the leadership and many years of dedicated service of Elsie Alexander to the Pro-Life Movement at the local, provincial, and national levels.
Purpose of the Scholarship
To encourage young people to:
Learn more about the pro-life movement.
Reward involvement in pro-life activities.
Participate in voluntary activities in their school, church and/or community.
Become discerning of society’s values.
Value of the Scholarship
One thousand dollars ($1000) to be awarded to the winner.
Payment and certificate of recognition will be arranged with the student or will be presented to the winner(s) at our annual Hike for Life.
The Scholarship Contest Rules
Essay (75%)
2026 TOPIC: Inspiring a Culture of Life Among Your Generation
In light of the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, who devoted his life to defending truth, freedom, and the dignity of every human person, young people are being challenged to carry that torch forward. Pro-Life advocates today must face not only opposition, but also apathy: a quiet indifference that allows injustice to persist. Many who call themselves pro-life do little to advance the cause, while others fear speaking out because of social disapproval or a lack of confidence in their own ability to make a meaningful difference.
As a young person, you have a unique opportunity to shape the moral direction of your generation. How can students motivate their peers, schools, and communities to become actively involved in building a culture that values life at every stage?
Your essay should:
Propose specific, creative, and practical ways young people can inspire engagement and awareness.
Explain why these approaches can be effective, supported by examples or reasoning.
Consider possible challenges (such as peer pressure, indifference, or misinformation) and how they might be overcome.
Reflect an understanding of how education, service, and community involvement can work together to promote a consistent message of life, compassion, and hope.
Present your essay as a personal proposal for cultural renewal among youth—rooted in truth, courage, and love.
Present your argument as a proposal in essay format. The essay must be the original and unaided work (no use of AI) of the student and must be 1400-1500 words typed, doubled-spaced, and have the title, name of the student and school on the title page. It must be well organized, demonstrate clarity, sensitivity, flow of thought, and present factual information with the appropriate documentation (cite all sources using APA, MLA, or Turabian [Chicago] style).
Self-Profile and References (25%)
a. Submit a self-profile (200-400 words) that describes your interest and involvement in pro-life activities and other voluntary activities.
b. Obtain one letter of reference. Your reference letters should be from someone who is not related to you and has observed or is aware of your involvement in pro-life activities (as stated in your self-profile). You can attach the reference here or they can email it directly to us at lethprolife@gmail.com.
Eligibility
The entrant must be a student in his/her graduating year at a high school and living in the administrative region of Lethbridge and District Pro-Life.
Must be in full-time attendance at a post-secondary institution in the fall.
Entry Deadline: May 15.
Children of staff or the board of directors of Lethbridge & District Pro-Life are not eligible.
Administration of the Scholarship
A committee selected by the board of Lethbridge & District Pro-Life Association will administer the contest and constitute the panel of judges.
Entries will be judged after the deadline has passed and the winner (s) will be informed prior to the Hike for Life.
Rights to Essays Submitted
Lethbridge and District Pro-Life Association retains the copyright to any essay submitted for the contest and the right to publish it for non-profit purposes. The author will be acknowledged in any publication or other use of the essay.
*While this form saves your work, we suggest you prepare your answers in a separate document and then paste them here to ensure you do not lose your work. Please email lethprolife@gmail.com with questions.