Our Program
Defending Life...Educating the Next Generation is a junior high and high school pro-life education curriculum implemented by group of medical professionals, teachers, and post abortive women. We use high school students to act in a 5-minute drama of two teens offering a friend help in a crisis pregnancy. This program provides preteens and teens a foundation of pro-life apologetics to embrace the sanctity and goodness of human life, as well as providing tools to enable them to use these truths to change people's hearts. We provide factual and age appropriate education on abortion and its consequences. We have created a presentation in which students gain knowledge of all aspects of abortion. This 90-minute program can reach small classes or large assemblies. The presentation emphasizes the need for love and compassion towards those who have endured an abortion decision. Prayer is strongly encouraged as the most effective tool against abortion. We actively engage the students during each presentation and provide them with a tour of the Hope Mobile Clinic so they can experience firsthand the help that women in crisis pregnancies can receive. After attending this program, students have the ability to help those who are frightened and in a crisis pregnancy. The image of God exists inside the womb and it is our mission to help the next generation see the face of God in the unborn.
Faith has a strong impact on the abortion decision. Twenty-eight percent of women seeking abortions identify themselves as Catholic, and 78% claim some religious affiliation*. An army of well informed and well-catechized young adults can change this trend. To reverse this trend, we would like to make this program available to all local youth groups, Catholic schools, and religious education classes for junior and high school students. This program was developed by a pro-life educator, Dina Ferchmin and has been in use for 8 years. In the last year our program has made presentations to youth groups, and CCD classes. Our pre and post surveys show that children understand the abortion issue better, some students moved from pro-choice to pro-life positions, and no one moved from pro-life to pro-choice. Many students approach our nurses and other presenters to ask questions in privacy after the presentations. This program is designed to reach a broad base of students and does not compete with other curriculums, but works in conjunction with them. Interested students can pursue a deeper understanding of the life issues by attending the Catholic Academy of Life Leadership (C.A.L.L.). Not all individual youth leaders and teachers have the expertise or comfort level to teach on the subject of abortion. Defending Life...Educating the Next Generation is available to provide this education to every Catholic youth program.
The professionals who that are part of this "team" consist of nurses, counselors and teachers who have been involved in pro-life work for many years, bring their experience and training to these students.
Hard work, commitment and God's grace has been key in helping this program to grow.
We also have a pastor and aspiring deacon, who currently providing us with their expertise and insight