Presenting the award from left to right: Tom Kelly, Executive Director, Halton Pro-Life; Marjorie Matthews, Executive Assistant, Halton Pro-Life; Bob Van de Vrande,
Chair, Halton Catholic District School Board; Michael Pautler, Director of Education, Halton Catholic District School Board and Tom Bartlett, President, Halton Pro-Life.
From the Halton CDSB: Halton Pro-Life (HPL) recently presented the 2010 Culture of Life Award to the Halton Catholic District School Board in recognition of the great work that has been done in the Catholic secondary schools of the Halton Region in educating and inspiring students on pro-life.
In presenting the award, Tom Bartlett, HPL President, said, “The annual Culture of Life Award was instituted by Halton Pro-Life five years ago to recognize an individual or organization who, through their own expertise and sphere of influence, has worked to build a Culture of Life — a culture that welcomes, supports and celebrates human life in all its stages from conception to natural death. It is with great pleasure that we present the 2010 Culture of Life Award to Mr. Michael Pautler, Director of Education, Mr. Bob Van de Vrande, Chair of the School Board, and the Halton Catholic District School Board for their role in supporting, encouraging and fostering a Culture of Life in the Catholic high school communities of Halton.”
Pro-Life Clubs
In their letter of congratulations to the Board, the Halton Pro-Life Directors wrote: “Usually, this is awarded to an individual who has shown outstanding dedication to promoting and championing the pro-life cause and advancing the Culture of Life. This year, because of the growth of the pro-life clubs in the high schools of the Halton region and the Board’s encouragement of the students to become active for the pro-life cause, we believe that the Halton Catholic District School Board more than deserves this recognition.”
Among recent pro-life events at the schools:
- An annual Culture of Life conference for secondary schools across the entire diocese was attended in February by 300 students. Culture of Life conferences had been held for several years across the Halton region, led jointly by teachers and chaplains and Halton Pro-Life. These have since blossomed into the annual diocese-wide events.
- A Culture of Life seminar at Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School, Oakville, in November, 2009, gathered students from all eight of the Board’s Catholic secondary schools.
- Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, Burlington, held a pro-life day later in February, addressed by Theresa Gilbert, of the National Campus Life Network, and Angelina Steenstra of Silent No More.
A group of teachers and chaplains will be taking students to the March for Life in Ottawa May, 2010.
These are just a few of the more visible events and learning opportunities that are on-going for the students in the schools - making the entire Halton Catholic District School Board an exemplar of pro-life education and a worthy recipient of the award.
To read more "Good News" stories please click here.