HEARTS ON THEIR SLEEVES: Amsterdam youth spread pro-life message through t-shirts

By ANGELA CAVE- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Six eighth-grade girls from St. Mary's Institute in Amsterdam created a stir when they wore matching t-shirts last month.

The shirts featured the ultrasound image of an unborn child and were emblazoned with the words "I am a person."

The girls had found the website for National Pro-Life T-shirt Week and decided to enter a photo contest that asks entrants to take photos while wearing the shirt and performing up to 400 different, sometimes unusual tasks - like sitting on a couch upside down or forming a human pyramid in a public place.

The contest was not an official school project. But "we just got a camera and got out there and started taking pictures," said Anne Riley, one of the group.

She added that the team was inspired by Rev. Brian List, SOLT, who visits religion classes at SMI and often speaks about abortion.

"He showed us how important it is to get the word out," said Anna Cortese, recalling the model Father List displayed of a two-week-old fetus that had visible fingernails.

Abortion, she declared, is "killing a human. It's not born yet, but it's still a life form. It's like you're murdering someone else."

More than 9,000 individuals entered the nationwide contest, but the St. Mary's clan contributed one of only five team entries.

The girls shot 186 photos. They finished in fourth place, but the students care more about the people they have influenced.

"It isn't really about winning," said Gwyn Sise, one of the students. "It's about spreading the message that abortion is cruel, and human life is sacred."

In fact, whether they clothed mannequins with the pro-life t-shirt at the Justice store at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland or asked passersby to snap their photo at bakeries and parks, onlookers only had good things to say.

"When we told them about what it's for, they understood," Anna noted.

Though younger students at St. Mary's Institute were initially confused by the team's efforts, they were left inspired.

"Even though they're little, everything they see can encourage them in the future," said Kelsey Thompson, another member of the group. "They are the next generation and we have to prepare them for future life decisions."

Kelsey plans to attend Amsterdam High School next year and continue wearing the shirt: "Even if you go to a public school, you can still uphold those moral beliefs."

The girls plan to enter the contest again next April, even though they may be attending different high schools.

"We're going our separate ways," said Bridget Fitz-James, "and this is something that will bring us together again."

Anne, who attended the March for Life this past winter, was proud to show her community that pro-life people "aren't just some fogies. You have to defend what you believe is right - and because we're so young, we have to spread that message even more."[[In-content Ad]]