This year’s Father Ted Colleton Scholarship competition is serving as one of the catalysts for a remarkable surge in pro-life interest in schools across the land.

Apart from the fact that much has been happening on the campuses of universities in Canada (see the page 3 article on the situation at Carelton University, for example), high schools and elementary schools are also serving as hotbeds of pro-life interest and action.

According to Interim circulation manager Dan Di Rocco, submissions to the Scholarship program this year alone almost match the totals from all previous years combined.

“It’s great we’ve gotten this kind of a buzz,” Di Rocco said. “A lot of teachers are encouraging their students to apply for the scholarship.”

An exciting new component is the start of an internet newsgroup, which allows teachers, educators and others associated with the education field to receive updates and get in touch with others about issues and events related to life issues.

Even homeschoolers can find this group of use. Also posted will be up-to-date and archived copies of the InterimPlus supplement, a handy resource teachers can use to discuss life and family issues with their students by addressing current affairs.

To apply, go the website http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheInterimPlus/.

Di Rocco reported that progress is continuing apace on efforts to get a resurgent Teachers for Life organization back in action.

“Good and interesting ideas are being bandied around,” he said and pointed to a number of events as evidence of this.

Father Michael McGivney Catholic secondary school in Markham, Ont., for example, recently observed a Respect Life Week that included Right to Life Association of Toronto and Area executive director Natalie Hudson addressing classes of students over four days.

Over at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic secondary school in Richmond Hill, Ont., a team of 14 students relieved some of the older veterans of the pro-life movement in helping sell fundraising Christmas fruticakes at local churches.

Also being discussed is the possibility of holding a major, regional pro-life conference for students in the Toronto region that has the potential to attract hundreds of young people. A similar event has already been held twice in the Hamilton-Burlington area.

“There are a lot of interesting possibilities and there is great potential,” concluded Di Rocco. “We just need more people to help make them happen.”

For more information, get in touch with Di Rocco by e-mail at dirocco@lifesite.net or call (416) 204-1687.