(Oregon Right to Life) — Applications are now open for the 2026 Oregon Right to Life Education Foundation (ORTLEF) student contests.
Every year, teens and young adults across Oregon are given the opportunity to take creative ownership of their pro-life values by participating in the pro-life competitions. Drawing hundreds of young pro-life competitors from across Oregon, the contests enable young creators to use their talents in support of the pro-life cause: to protect the unborn and lift up moms and families with life-affirming help.
ORTLEF student contests include categories for essays, artwork, film, and oratory. Participants are given a theme upon which to base their creative works. Last year’s theme was “Love Both Heartbeats.” This year’s prompt will be “Support Her. Protect Them.”
Click here to see all 2025 contest winners.
Entries are now open to Oregon students in all grade levels, and pro-life advocates of all ages are invited to submit entries in the film contests. Cash prizes are available for state winners.
Oregon Right to Life displays the winning artwork and essays submitted by pro-life students each year at Together We Advocate, the biggest pro-life conference in the Pacific Northwest. Oratory winners also deliver their speeches to event attendees before heading to the National Right to Life conference to compete against other student oratory winners from across the country.
READ: Hundreds of Pro-Life Advocates Attend Oregon Right to Life Annual Conference
Last year’s Oregon oratory competition winner was Evangelyn W., a seventeen-year-old senior at Chesterton Academy of the Willamette Valley. In her speech, she shared with conference-goers the deeply personal and inspirational story of her own birth to a teen mother who chose life and made an adoption plan.
“My mother made the epic choice to defy the lies and love me before I was born, and not a day goes by that I’m not grateful that she did,” Evangelyn said. “She gave me the chance of a lifetime. The chance to be alive.”
In June, Evangelyn shared her story at National Right to Life’s 54th annual conference in Kansas City in competition for the national prize. She also joined Oregon Right to Life as a part-time events assistant during the summer.
Young people like Evangelyn are swiftly taking their place in the pro-life movement, learning how to advocate for the unborn and share the pro-life message with others.
Pro-life Oregonians with passionate young artists, writers, or speakers in their lives are encouraged to let them know about the opportunity to get involved.
Details and deadlines for the 2026 student contests are listed below.
- Submit an essay or artwork (Entry Deadline: January 16, 2026)
- Create a short film or a short-form video (Entry Deadline: February 9, 2026)
- Deliver a speech (Contact local contest coordinator for details & deadline)
Go to ortl.org/contests for more information and to apply.
