NPLTW aims to increase awareness of the personhood of the child in the womb and the tragedy of abortion. Just by wearing a t-shirt and being out there in public you will help to accomplish that goal!

To order the official NPLTW t-shirt, click here. There you can also find more details about NPLTW and instructions for entering their photo contest for a chance to win an iPad or iPod!

RSVP to participate in Illinois here!

SFLI’s next Activism Day is only three weeks away! Abortion is Bad for Women is an Activism Day that aims to spread awareness of the devastating effects that abortion has on real women every day. For instance:

- Suicide rates for women who have had abortions are 6 times higher than woman who have not had abortions

- Women who have had abortions are 65% more likely to suffer from clinical depression

- A girl who has an abortion before the age of 18 increases her risk of developing breast cancer by 150%

To learn more and to get started on planning for your campus, visit AbortionisBadforWomen.com

Join us for Cupcakes at the Capitol on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 in Springfield as we meet with pro-life lobbyists and state legislators to inform them about upcoming bills concerning pro-life issues.

This is your opportunity to affect pro-life policy in Illinois! We are looking for students who are passionate about the pro-life cause and not afraid to share their beliefs and values.

A brief overview of the day:
-Meet with pro-life lobbyists in Springfield to discuss some of the key legislation that will be voted on this session
-Bring cupcakes to state senators and representatives from your home district and tell them why they should vote pro-life
-Write follow up letters and have a round table discussion on your experiences
-Get to know other pro-life students from all around the state!

We are looking for students to bake and individually wrap approximately 275 cupcakes to be brought to the legislators and also students interested in lobbying on Tuesday, February 15th. To sign up, click here! You must register by February 8th. We hope to see you there!

SFLI hosted this retreat in order to give pro-life leaders the opportunity to jump-start their pro-life work on their respective campuses in the fall. Retreat participants got specific insights on how to greatly expand the pro-life movement on their different college campuses, and they also had a chance to collaborate with each other and gain perspective and ideas from other leaders like themselves.

Alicia kicked off the retreat with a stimulating talk on what it is to be a true leader. She gave valuable reflections on building a team and working with others, and emphasized the importance of a willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of the greater good.

John-Paul followed up Alicia’s speech with a plan of action. He explained the SFLI method that will change college campuses into campuses that respect the dignity of human life. Through pro-life discussions and mentorship, SFLI will equip students with the knowledge and resources to become active pro-lifers, and SFLI will build up more and more student leaders.

After hearing about true leadership and about the expansion of the pro-life movement on campuses, the student leaders at the retreat broke into smaller groups and discussed among themselves how they could apply these principles to their campuses.

In the afternoon, Lindsay Pyrcik, an SFLI intern, gave a short review of activism. Lindsay gave testimony to her different activism experiences, and suggested the best ways to talk to your peers in any situation about being pro-life.

The retreat attendees split into two groups then in order to participate in a Pro-Life Round Table. John-Paul had explained Round Tables in his talk that morning, and this gave the student leaders a chance to experience it for themselves. A Round Table is a discussion where anywhere from four to ten students meet to talk, think critically, and expand their knowledge about different pro-life issues. During the school year, any one Round Table group will meet about once a week. The student leaders at the retreat had very positive feedback on the Round Table discussions, and are excited to get them going on their campuses!

Following the Round Tables, Jenny Meyer, a pro-life activist, gave the leaders a plethora of tips and techniques on recruiting new members for their pro-life groups and Round Tables, especially during the rush of the first couple of weeks on campus. Jenny explained the importance of building relationships with students who you want to join you in the pro-life movement, and specifically expressing interest in them.

The student leaders were then given another chance to break into smaller groups and talk to each other about how they would implement these ideas on their campuses, and how they could really make use of them.

Finally, the retreat closed with Peter Breen, a board member of SFLI and an attorney for the Thomas More Society, a pro-life law firm. Peter tied the retreat together and gave the leaders a chance to ask any questions that they had on anything to do with the pro-life movement.

From left to right: Kelly, Mary, Erin, Jovana, Laura, Hannah, and Kelly

Speaking from my personal perspective, I thought that this was a great retreat. Since I was one of the coordinators, I didn’t quite get a chance to participate in everything, but I feel that I truly benefited from everything of which I was a part. As a student leader, I found that every topic addressed was completely relevant and helpful, and that I came away with some exponentially useful tips, information, and resources. I can’t wait for the next semester to start so that I can get started – and many of the student leaders at the retreat expressed to me that they feel the same way.

-Rose Schmillen, SFLI Intern

SFLI will be posting video footage of the speakers from this retreat. If you are interested in hearing the speakers, comment on this post or e-mail John-Paul Deddens at johnpaul@prolifeillinois.com.

Here’s the Biking for Babies 2010 Video:

Please spread the word about this great opportunity to support a positive pro-life event put on by college students! Help Team Illinois and Team Wisconsin make an even bigger impact for life this year. Click here to follow their campaign, receive updates from the road, and make donations!

In an effort to advance Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘Dream’, we are exposing the horrific effects of the abortion industry on the African American Community.

Watch our videos, find more information, and download your Activism Day materials at www.StopKillingtheDream.com.

Contact: John-Paul Deddens
Phone: 217-255-6675
Email: johnpaul@prolifeillinois.com

Students Send Sweet Message to Springfield

College students travel to Springfield to lobby against “The Reproductive Health and Access Act”, deemed “Illinois FOCA”

Springfield, IL – On Thursday February 11, Illinois Students will converge in Springfield for a lobby day hosted by Students for Life of Illinois: “Cupcakes at the Capital”. Their lobbying efforts will focus on dissuading the Illinois General Assembly from passing “The Reproductive Health and Access Act”. The bill has been called the “Illinois Freedom of Choice Act,” due to its radical agenda to remove commonsense restrictions on abortion ranging from parental notification to right of conscience laws for health care providers.

Students will give cupcakes to the legislators with the message “Life is Sweet” written in the icing. “So often, people go into lobbying with a demanding spirit. We want to show our appreciation for our representatives, while at the same time boldly informing them of our stance on this crucial issue,” said John-Paul Deddens, Executive Director of Students for Life of Illinois. “Nothing in last year’s Illinois FOCA or what we expect to be introduced this year is meant to help women in need. It only tears down what few protections we have in Illinois.”

Students from over 13 different schools including University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Loyola University Chicago, Lewis University, Bradley University and Northern Illinois University will be lobbying Thursday in Springfield.

Students for Life of Illinois is an umbrella organization that exists to help college students bring about a culture of life on their campuses by providing resources, training and support. More on Students for Life of Illinois at www.ProLifeIllinois.com.

• Thursday, February 11th Cupcakes at the Capitol
• Wednesday, February 24th Stop Killing the Dream
• Wednesday, March 10th Abortion is Bad for Women
• April 28th-May 4th Pro-Life T-Shirt Week

Please check back at www.ProLifeIllinois.com as these dates approach to join with us in educating your campus!

Students for Life of Illinois is hosting a pro-life lobby day on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 to stop the Illinois FOCA!  Join us in Springfield to:

• Meet your legislators
• Begin building relationships to defend life and stop the Illinois FOCA!
• Receive training on lobbying and how the legislature works
• Share cupcakes and the message of life

Register here to help us with planning, rides, and other logistics!

Register for the Summit now! Click here.

Eric Scheidler, from the Pro-Life Action League, recently sent this message out to his facebook group about the importance of this Summit.

In the midst of all the difficult pro-life battles going on right now — the Chicago Bubble Zone, abortion in the health care plan, and so on — there are still great signs of HOPE.

One of those signs of hope is the organization Students for Life of Illinois. All across our state, SFLI is raising up a new generation of committed, energetic pro-life leaders.

A week from Saturday SFLI is holding a Leadership Summit at Loyola University, and I’m honored to be part of the program.

The theme of this year’s summit is “Leadership. Media. Activism.”

As you might have guessed, I’m giving the talk on ACTIVISM. The other topics will be covered by two of my favorite pro-life leaders:

—> David Bereit, National Director of 40 Days for Life, will speak on LEADERSHIP.

—> Kristen Hawkins, Executive Director of Students for Life of America will speak on MEDIA.

I spoke at last year’s summit too and had a great time, so I’m really looking forward to this year’s summit — especially with heroes like David Bereit and Kristen Hawkins on the roster.

The Summit is open to high school seniors, undergraduate students and graduate students.

EVENT: Students for Life of Illinois 2009 Leadership Summit
WHEN: Saturday, October 24, 9:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Loyola U Crown Center, 1001 W. Loyola Ave, Chicago
MAP: http://tinyurl.com/crowncenter

REGISTER —–> http://ProLifeIllinois.com/Summit

Registration is $30 and includes lunch and seminar materials.

Please pass this message along to all the pro-life college students and high school seniors you know. The Leadership Summit is an opportunity no pro-life student should miss.

Yours for Life,

– Eric

Eric Scheidler
Executive Director
Pro-Life Action League
http://prolifeaction.org