Ten high school students are taking on projects in each of the Five Pillars throughout this school year that will impact campuses and communities across the country, both in person and digitally. Meet these fellows:
Aliyah Duran
Liberty University Online
Centreville, VA
2021
Aliyah is a senior homeschool student, taking courses online and will graduate next May. She is the president of a city group in Virginia for high school and college students. Aliyah was inspired by her mother’s decision to choose life for her despite the doctor’s recommendation to abort her due to an indicator that she would be born with a disability. Aliyah attends every rally in Washington D.C and loves to rapidly respond to events in the community as much as possible.
Cassidy Burton
Lower Dauphin High School
Hershey, PA
2021
Cassidy is a senior who hopes to attend Liberty University after graduation to major in business. Cassidy started the group at her school last year after she gave a presentation on why abortion should be illegal. She is passionate about politics and hopes to pursue a career in pro-life activism.
Gabrielle Berthiaume
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Hampton, NH
2021
Gabrielle is an incoming senior and current president of her school’s Students for Life group Saints for Life. She has been active in the pro-life movement since her first National Pro-Life March in Washington, D.C in 2017. Inspired by pro-life speakers like Abby Johnson and Dr. Alveda King, Gabrielle is committed to fighting for an end to abortion within her lifetime. Gabrielle aspires to be a youth minister or campus minister in her future and plans on going to college for ministry.
Isabella Doyle
Green High School
Uniontown, OH
2021
Isabella has been involved in the Pro-Life Movement for the past five years. She is the co-founder and co-president of her school’s Students for Life group. Isabella was inspired by her mother’s decision to choose life for her against her doctor’s advice. Isabella hopes to get involved in law and politics for a career.
Josie Amon
Homeschool
Sharptown, MD
2020
Josie is founder and president of Eastern Shore Students for Life. She graduated a year early and is taking classes at the local community college while leading her high school pro-life group. Josie hopes to become a certified nurse and work as a pro-life medical professional to help women in unplanned pregnancies.
Luke Ostberg
Fairfield High School
Fairfield, MT
2021
Luke started his Students for Life group at his school last year after being repeatedly challenged by his U.S history teacher to defend his pro-life beliefs in class. Luke is passionate about compassionately supporting mothers and families experiencing unplanned pregnancies.
Noelle McDowell
Rockbridge Academy
Annapolis, MD
2022
Noelle founded the SFLA group at her school as a freshman and has been president for two years. Noelle’s involvement in the pro-life movement started when she decided to write to President Obama about abortion when she was 11 years old! In 2018, Noelle won 1st place in the nation for National Right to Life’s youth essay contest. Noelle is passionate about having conversations with her peers and interacting with people who disagree with her to change hearts and minds on abortion.
Shelby Bland
Liberty High School
Colorado Springs, CO
2021
Shelby is a senior and plans to pursue a business degree. She is president of her school’s Students for Life group and is a trained sidewalk advocate for life. Shelby has a passion for helping mothers experiencing unplanned pregnancies and hopes to one day open her own maternity home.
Valeria Guerrero
Bennet Academy
Aurora, IL
2022
Valeria is a junior who joined her school’s Students for Life group her freshman year in high school. She got involved in the Pro-Life Movement in middle school where she was denied a Students for Life group. Valeria has a passion for politics and hopes to study International Law in college.
Gabe DiMartino
Kennedy Catholic High School
Burien, WA
2022
Gabe got involved after being asked to give a pro-life presentation to eighth graders at a nearby middle school. Gabe is a new leader in the Pro-Life Movement and has a passion for having conversations with his peers about abortion. He hopes to pursue engineering in college.
To learn more about the Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship, click here.
