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SCHOOL
GUIDEBOOK

WELCOME

Table of Contents

Getting Started
3
Resources and Trainings
Vision and Mission Statement
Constitution
Leadership Positions
9-10
Interest Meeting
Plan Your Year
Budget and Fundraising
Events
14-15
Sign Up and Attendance Sheets
Leadership Transitions
Retaining Members
Student Testimonies

Dear Pro-Life Student Leader,


Students for Life of America is a non-profit organization
dedicated to assisting and training pro-life students across
America. Our mission is to identify, educate, and equip
pro-life students to abolish abortion in our lifetime.

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Our team has created this Homeschool Guidebook as a


starting point and resource for you, a student who can lead
other young people to stand for Life. We hope it will
encourage you, give you a practical starting point, and help
you create a vision for what you can accomplish at your in
your community.
Please know that our full-time team at SFLA is here to help
you every step of the way as part of this nationwide
movemet to abolish abortion
Since abortion became legal in 1973, over 56 million babies
have been killed. That is one-fourth of our generation lost.
This is our battle, and with your help, we will abolish abortion in our lifetime.
For Life,
Kristan J. Hawkins
President
Dear Parents and Youth Ministers,

Contact Us
Students for Life of America
9900 Courthouse Rd.
Spotsylvania,VA 22553
540-834-4600
info@studentsforlife.org
www.studentsforlife.org

You are instrumental in the organization of a successful


Students for Life group. While many students are
self-sufficient and may not be very dependent on adults,
others require their parents support in activities outside
the home. This assistance can range from the need for
transportation to some guidance in decision making. Parents
and youth ministers should also be prepared to counsel and
advise students in the aftermath of exposure to certain
experiences (such as a day outside of an abortion facility). In
all of this, you should know that your children will be
positively enriched by their involvement with Students for
Life.

For Life,
Kristan J. Hawkins
President

Students For Life |

At Students for Life of America, we encourage active


participation between youth and their parents and mentors.
As young people continue to come alongside of you, they
will develop personal ownership of their work as they fight
for a truly just cause. Thank you for raising such a
wonderful child!

GETTING STARTED
The task of starting a club can be intimidating, but dont worry, we have your back! Heres
a list of things to do to get your new Students for Life group up and going!
Contact Students for Life of America

Draft a Constitution and


Mission Statement

We have Regional Coordinators all over the nation


whose sole purpose is to help you start and maintain
See pages 8-10 for a sample constitution and mission
your student group. Email info@studentsforlife.org to statement.
find out who is in your area to help!

Plan Your First Meeting


Find Fellow Pro-Life Students

Find at least three other pro-life students to help you


start your group. Talk to your friends about helping and
visit other clubs in your community or co-op where
you would be likely to find pro-life students. Also, look
on Facebook for peers with similar interests. These
core members will be the people who help build your
group and provide the necessary manpower to make
your efforts successful.

Pick a Name

Pick a fun name that adequately describes your group,


but make sure its clear and professional, such as,
Students for Life of Smithville Co-op or Smith
County Students for Life.

Find an Adviser or Adult Sponsor

Create Facebook,Twitter, and other Social


Media Accounts
In order to ensure that your group is visible, be sure to
create a Facebook page, as well as other social media
accounts. Assign one member to update the social media
accounts regularly. Be sure to post any events you are
doing, as well as pictures afterwards. People love to see
your activities! It can help you grow in members, as well
as find adults who would be willing to contribute
financially.

HOST AN EVENT!

Now that the club is up and running, start


hosting events! See pages 14-15 for the
suggested sequence of events for new groups.

Students For Life |

Having an adviser or parent leader is really important.


They should not be leading the club, but act as a
sounding board for your group and offer assistance
as you grow. This can be a parent, youth minister, or
another interested adult. Be clear about the clubs
expectation for the adviser when asking them to be involved. Are you simply looking for a place to hold meetings? Or do you want the adult to be actively involved
in your club? Be sure to communicate your intention
with the club and make sure the adviser is on the same
page before committing.

After finding an adviser and drafting your constitution


and mission statement, its time to have an interest
meeting! Set a date, time, and location of the meeting
and begin advertising for the club. Be sure to pick a
location that will be convenient and comfortable for
students. Put up flyers around your church and
community areas with information about your club and
invite students to come to the meeting.Visit local prolife organizations or pregnancy resource centers to connect with other homeschool students. Ask your SFLA
Regional Coordinator for a sample meeting agenda and
tips on how to run an effective meeting.

RESOURCES & TRAINING


Being a new group can feel overwhelming: Where do we start? How do we get resources? We
want to make it as easy as possible for you to become an active pro-life leader in your
community and grow your club. SFLA has created a number of different free trainings and
resources to help educate and equip you to become an effective pro-life activist!
*Please note, you must be an active student group to receive free resources from Students for
Life of America*
Trainings








Apologetics: Dialoguing with Abortion Advocates


Pro-Life Activism
Developing Your Leaders
How to Talk about Abstinence
Embracing the Controversy of Abortion
Recruiting and Retaining Members
Planning Your Year
Planned Parenthoods Abortion Business
Fundraising for Your Group

Topic Cards

We have topic cards for all of the tough questions! You can request any number of the
topic cards to hand out at events and counter demonstrations, use for tabling, and
distribute throughout your community. Email SFLA at info@studentsforlife.org to
order as many as you need.






What about the Life and Health of the Mother?


What about Rape and Incest?
What does Planned Parenthood have Planned for You?
Dispelling the Myths about Safe Sex
Does Overpopulation Justify Abortion?
Has Legal Abortion Really Helped Women?
And MORE!

Event-in-a-Box

Students For Life |

Each month during the school year, SFLA releases a new theme for the month, along with
resources (flyers, event and speaker suggestions, talking points, and other
marketing materials) that your group can order and use. The monthly
boxes are announced in an easy-to-access blog post at highschool.studentsforlife.org/
event-in-a-box.

RESOURCES & TRAINING


Download, Customize, and Print Flyers for your Events!

SFLA offers a number of flyers that your group can customize and print to fit your
needs.Visit highschool.studentsforlife.org/flyers and click on the flyers for an
enlarged image. Print these out and use them in your community! (If there are
flyers that you would like us to create, send your suggestions to
info@studentsforlife.org.)

Get One-on-One Support from your SFLA Team!

Students for Life of America has an expert team of professionals to help students,
wherever you live! Our team is available to you! We are here to help you by
offering one-on-one support for your group. Check out our team page to find the
SFLA team member nearest you: highschool.studentsforlife.org/where-ourteam-is-located.

SFLAs Thaddeus Stevens Leadership Fellowship

The Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship has been developed to raise the next generation of pro-life
leadership. The Fellowship trains high school student pro-life activists to be leaders at their schools
(and beyond) and helps network those student leaders with their counterparts in the national
pro-life movement to help further develop their skills. Simply put, the SFLA Stevens Leadership
Fellowship is the training you need for a future in the pro-life movement!

For more information on the


Thaddeus Stevens Fellowship, visit
highschool.studentsforlife.org/stevens-leadership-fellowship/.

Students For Life |


5

VISION & MISSION STATEMENTS


It is important that your club has vision and mission statements.Your potential, current, and
future members need to know exactly what your Students for Life group is all about! Your
vision and mission statements need to be written down and kept with your club documents.
Vision

The following questions can help you develop a vision:





What do we want to accomplish short term and long term?


Where do we want to be a year from now?
How do we want to impact our community?
What kinds of activities are appropriate for our group?

Write a short paragraph explaining what you want the group to become and share it with your club. Use it as
a reference as you plan events and measure your success. Establishing a common vision is important so that
you can keep your group on track and everyone on the same page.You do not want your group to become
disillusioned because the group is not what members expected it to be.

Mission Statement

As you are planning your vision, write out a mission statement to give your group a steady focus. The mission
statement tells people how your group aims to achieve your vision.
Here is an example that you can use:

The mission of Jones Homeschool Students for Life is to establish an active


pro-life culture among the youth of our community by educating our peers on
life and by actively promoting the right to life for all
persons (pre-born and born).

Students For Life |


6

CONSTITUTION
Developing a constitution can be overwhelming. But dont worry, we have a sample constitution your
group can adapt to make their own! Be sure to read through the whole document and make sure it
matches your groups needs!

(Your School) Students for Life

Constitution of (Your School) Students for Life

(Date)

Article 1: Name

The name of this organization is (your club name).

Article 2: Mission

(Insert your mission statements here)


The mission of Jones Homeschool Students for Life is to establish an active pro-life culture among the youth of
our community by educating our peers on life and by actively promoting the right to life for all persons
(pre-born and born).

Article 3: Members

Section 1 (Your Group Name) is open to all (Your City) students, faculty and staff. No (Your School)
student, parent, or adult leader may be denied membership on the basis of race, sex, religion, ethnicity, national
origin, color, age, or disability.
Section 2 To become members, one must request membership verbally or via e-mail to president,
vice-president, or other executive officer. Members must provide adequate contact information and attend (#)
meetings.
Section 3 If official membership requirements specified in Section 2 cannot be fulfilled, a minimum of three
officers may consent to dismiss the requirement(s) for an individual to allow that individual official membership.

Article 4: Officers

Students For Life |

Section 1 The officers will include a president, vice president (List your officers here. See pages 9-10 for
examples of officer positions and descriptions).
Section 2 Officers will hold office for one school year (AugustMay), starting and ending at 12:00 pm on the
last day of classes for the spring semester. For the first year of existence, officers will be appointed. No officer
should hold any position for more than two school years. However, they do have the option of running for
another office after their two years are over.
Section 3 Roles of Officers: List officer positions and their main responsibilities.
Section 4 The impeachment of any officer can only occur when two-thirds majority of official members are
present to vote for impeachment, or a unanimous vote is reached by officers. Officers must clearly state the
reasoning for impeachment and take a secret vote. Grounds for impeachment can include violence against
another member or other students, lying, inappropriate speech or actions, etc.
Section 5 In addition to the officer positions, it is at the presidents discretion to appoint students to
committees to coordinate specific events or activities.
Section 6 - Officers who maintain or advocate points of view regarding abortion and other life issues and
practices that are contrary to (Names) mission and stated goals, will be removed from their office until the
bahavoior and or/unorthodox views are corrected. The voting memers are responsible for removing and
reinstating officers who pursuant to this section. Removal and reinstatement require two-thirds majority vote
of the voting members.

CONSTITUTION
Article 5: Elections

Section 1 Elections of officers will take place at an election meeting to be held once a year during the
spring semester, at least one month before the last day of classes.
Section 2 Any official member may be nominated for office or nominate oneself.
Section 3 Members who are running for office must be nominated and accept their
nomination at the nomination meeting, which shall occur a minimum of one week prior to the election
meeting.
Section 4 Officers must be elected by a simple majority via secret ballot. Only active members are
eligible to vote. Members must be present to vote.
Section 5 Elections must be announced at least 2 weeks prior to them being held and advertised
through all official group commnuication channels.
Section 6 - If any officer decides to step down, nominations will be accepted at the next
meeting and a new officer will be elected one meeting later.
Section 7 In the case of no persons to fill the role of president or vice-president, an interim will be
appointed by the previous president. The interim president will hold the position until the fall semester
and new elections can be held. The interim president will have no authority to hold the position after two
months of the new semester has passed and can be removed from their office at any point by the adviser
or executive board.

Article 6: Adviser

An adviser will serve at the request of the president for as long as he or she is willing. However, if the
group finds that the adviser is not in agreement with the vision and mission statement provided in the
constitution, the executive board may vote to request a new advisor and must win by a two-thirds majority.

Article 7: Meetings

Section 1 The president must call a meeting at least once a month during the fall and spring semesters.
Any official member may call a meeting through the consent of the president and two officers.
Section 2 The secretary (or other assigned officer) will pass around a sign-in sheet and will keep
minutes on the meeting.

Article 8: Independence

(Your Group Name) is not associated with any national, statewide, or local groups.

Article 9: Amendments

Students For Life |

In order to amend the constitution, an amendment should be submitted to the president or at least two
officers. At the next meeting, the president, or the two officers, will announce the proposal and a vote will
take place by secret ballot. Two-thirds of the official group members must be present to vote and a majority
is necessary for approval.

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
It is important that your group has a strong core group of leaders. This is known as your
executive board. The executive board consists of your main officers and committee leaders.
This will help keep your group structured and organized. As your group grows, you can add
positions to your core, but it is important that you have at least a president, vice president,
treasurer, and secretary. Below are some sample descriptions of what positions you can have
and what their responsibilities can be.
Executive Board

President
Provides vision and direction, short-term and long-term
Oversees all other officers and helps them carry out their duties
Delegates tasks among officers and members
Runs meetings
Is the public face of the organization
Ensures all tasks are completed - If someone else drops the ball, the president's job is to pick up
the slack.
Sees that at least one officer meets individually with potential members
Motivates other members
Vice President
Assists the president in managing officers and members
Fills in for president when needed
Helps plan events
Meets every new attendee at meetings
Helps president develop ideas
Manage committees
(Note: Some larger groups have two vice presidents who split duties and assist the president in managing the
group.)

Students For Life |

Treasurer
Manages finances
Coordinates fundraising by organizing events
Tracks donors and writes thank you notes
Develops budget
Pays bills
Keeps track of all banking information

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Secretary

Keeps minutes of meetings

Contacts and encourages inconsistent members

Sends updates to SFLA; we love to hear how youre doing!

Backs up all pictures and files in multiple places
Public Relations/Communications Coordinator

Makes life and abortion a topic of discussion in the community

Takes pictures/videos of events

Manages social media accounts - Keeps track of all login information forsocial media,

email accounts, and websites.

Handles media (local news, newpapers, etc.)

Develops relationships with local, regional, and national organizations, along with
president

Partners with other pro-life friendly groups, advertises to them and through them

Adviser or Adult Sponsor

The adviser or adult sponsor supports and directs the group. He or she will typically attend
meetings, assist in organization, and participate in events. The adviser or adult sponsor can
also be the mediator if a dispute arises between officers or members.

Students For Life |


10

INTEREST MEETING

Now that you have drafted your constitution and


mission statement and youve begun advertising for
you club, its time to have an interest meeting!

Be sure to choose a time and place that is convenient for as many students as possible. If you
can provide pizza or desserts, it will entice more students to attend. Make a flyer that is
simple and clear, stating the name of your club, the date, time, and location of the interest
meeting, your group contact information (create a group email account so you are not
advertising your personal information), and that will you will providing dinner or desserts!
Hang up your flyers with ample time for students to plan for it, preferrably about one week
in advance.
Create an agenda for yourself and the other leaders who will attend to keep the meeting
organized and running on time. (See below for a meeting agenda.)
Sample Meeting Agenda:
I.
Introduce yourself and other students who are helping start the club

a. Have each person say their name, grade, and why they are interested in the pro-life club.

b. Pass around a clipboard for everyone in attendance sign in with their name, grade, email

address, and phone number. (SFLA has a sample sign-in sheet on page 16.)
II.
Explain your vision for the club and what you would like to accomplish as a student group.

a. What events and activities would you like to do to accomplish this?

b. Ask for different event and campaign ideas from the group.
III.
Poll the students on the best time to meet and what interests them the most.

a. Make sure your official meeting time as a club is convenient for as many students as

possible. Take this time to ask the potential members when they would prefer to meet and

how often. (Twice per month is the suggested amount.)

b. Ask the students for their areas of interest. Do you have students that are more

interested in apologetics or pregnancy resources? Make a note of it so you can be sure

to include them when you host an event they would be interested in or give them

opportunities to lead new outreaches and projects.
Set aside some time for people to ask questions about the club.

V.

Set a date and time for your next meeting and decide on your first event. (See pages 14-15 for
suggested events for new clubs.)

VI.

Eat and socialize! Make time to get to know the people who came! Play a game or have an ice break
er so that students feel they have connected with each other.

Students For Life |

IV.

11

PLAN YOUR YEAR


One of the key aspects of a successful group, is planning ahead! Before the school year,
or as your group is forming, sit down with your adviser and other club leaders to plan
your year. This is simply to create a structure and should be flexible. Ask your Regional
Coordinator for a Plan Your Year Guide to help!
How to Make a Plan
Use your SFLA Plan Your Year Guide, or another calendar to mark the following dates:
First day of class
All major holidays, breaks, or community events (field trips, homecoming, etc.)
Exam week
Last day of class

2.

Next, fill in all national pro-life events and campaigns, such as:
Respect Life/LifeChain Sunday
National Day of Silent Solidarity
When deciding on events, use your vision and
Pro-Life Cupcake Day
mission statement to guide your discussion.
Fall and Spring 40 Days for Life Campaign
What events can you do that will help you
March for Life
accomplish your goal? This keeps your group
Students for Life National Conference
focused and makes event planning easier.
Students for Life Regional Leadership Summit
Pro-Life T-shirt Day
If you want to host a speaker, show a pro-life
National Pro-Life Pro-Life Chalk Day
movie, or find more ideas on exciting pro-life
National Community Baby Shower Day
events, visit highschool.studentsforlife.org.
National Adoption Day
Elections

3.

Now that you have an idea of what your year will look like, propose a few meeting times. Do you
want to meet twice a month? What day of the week works best for the majority of members? What
time? Go ahead and mark your meeting times on your calendar so that everyone can plan ahead.

4.

Next, plan recruitment events for the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. Have a tabling
display or event specifically aimed at recruiting new members. Plan to attend community fairs! (See
pages 16-17 for information on how to recruit)

5.



Most importantly, set goals for events. We recommend that your group has a least one event per
month. This can include a flyering campaign, a baby item drive or baby shower, a fetal
development diplay, etc. (See page 14-15 for more event ideas.) Propose at least two days per
month for possible events and ask your members what best fits with their schedules. Solidify those
dates as soon as possible so the group can plan.

Students For Life |

1.

12

BUDGETING & FUNDRAISING


Creating a budget and fundraising can sound intimidating, but it is very simple. Having a budget
and fundraising plan will ensure that there will be money to do important events throughout
the year.
Creating a Budget

The key to budgeting is to plan ahead. Use your group


calendar that lists all the events that your group is hosting
or events your group will be attending to help develop
your budget.You will need to project the cost of each
event (including supplies needed, food, gas, lodging, etc).
Make sure that you anticipate events costing more than
you expect. It is possible that events will come up during
the year that you did not plan and your group will need
finances to participate. Check with other pro-life or active
groups in your area to get an idea of what they generally
spend per year on certain items.
Throughout the year, it is very important that you refer to
your budget before and after every event that you host.
During your first year, it may be difficult to project costs
correctly, but it is important to keep a record of
everything you spend. That way you will have a better idea
of how much you will need to plan for the following year.

Fundraising

Fundraising isnt nearly as daunting as it seems and is a


key part to your work in abolishing abortion. Dont worry,
you arent begging people for money.You are giving them
the opportunity to work alongside you in the greatest
human rights struggle our world has ever known.
Regardless of the type of fundraising you choose to do,
the most important thing you can do is understand and
appreciate your donors. For more information on how
to connect with potential donors, ask your SFLA regional
coordinator for help or request an SFLA Activism Kit.

Find Personal Contacts Every member of your


group should start by collecting the names, phone
numbers, e-mail addresses and mailing addresses of family
and friends. Contact them to see if they would be willing
to help you save lives by investing in your pro-life group.

Call local businesses You can also ask local


businesses, especially those who are family-run or
religious for help! Contact them and see if they are
willing to help you financially or donate food or
office supplies to be used at your meetings.
Hold a fundraising event You can plan an
event specifically focused on raising money for your
group, such as bake sales, concerts, car washes, etc.
These events can also serve as an advertisement
for your group!
Partner with local pro-life organizations
Ask local pro-life organizations to sponsor your
group or even co-host an event with you.
Remember, always promptly thank everyone who
gives you a donation! Ask for contact
information when collecting money so that you can
send them a personalized thank you card. Keep
donors up-to-date with your group is accomplishing and
invite them to events, no matter how big or small.
If you need help coming up with a fundraising plan,
or want more tips and advice, ask your SFLA Regional
Coordinator.

Students For Life |

Here are a few ways to fundraise:

Contact Local Churches Visit your local


churches and ask if they would like to partner with
you to educate your peers and save lives in your
community. Be sure to present them with clear
goals and contact information.You can also ask
for a time to take a special collection after a few
services.

13

EVENTS
As a new group, it is important to start engaging your community immediately. Don't wait! The
purpose of your club is to educate your peers and ultimately abolish abortion.You need to be
visible in your community from the get-go and start dialogues about abortion. When people
talk about abortion, we win!
Here are a few event ideas (listed in the order we recommend for new groups to
have them) that are simple and easy, and will help your group gain momentum:
Flyering Campaign

Post flyers around your community on a specific theme. For example, basic abortion statistics, fetal
development, or Planned Parenthoods abortion business.Visit highschool.studentforlife.org/flyers for
pre-made, downloadable flyers you can use! Be sure to add your groups contact information at the bottom!

Host an Apologetics Training

Ask your Regional Coordinator or a local pro-life leader to come and teach your group dialoguing skills. It is
crucial that your members are comfortable talking to other students about abortion and that they feel prepared to answer the hard questions.

When Does Life Begin Display

Hang a large sheet of paper or set up a table with a tri-fold board in a high foot traffice area. Draw a line
representing fetal development and fill in descriptions of the babys growth in the appropriate places. Have a
member standing with the display at all times. Ask people to put a post-it note by the stage where they think
life begins. Based on their answer, your members can start a dialogue about the humanity of the pre-born.You
can request SFLAs Fetal Development Topic Cards to distribute at this event.

Prayer Vigil/Memorial Service at Local Abortion Facility

Pick a date and time that is convenient for the majority of your members. Drive to the nearest abortion
facility and spend a set amount of time in prayer or silent reflection. Be sure to use inclusive language and help
all your group members, regardless of their religious affliation, feel like they can participate. Download our
sample memorial service program at http://highschool.studentsforlife.org/how-to-organize-a-prayervigil-at-an-abortion-clinic/.

Students For Life |


14

EVENTS
Cupcakes and Trivia

Let's face it, everyone loves cupcakes! Set up a table at you co-op or in a public park and provide free
cupcakes to everyone who can answer a question about abortion correctly. Be sure to have a sign-up
sheet and information about your club at the table as well.

Chalking

Find public sidewalks and write life-affirming messages on them! This is a fun and creative way to get
students active! Be sure to write contact information for your local pregnancy center or
post-abortive recovery counseling centers.

Volunteer at your Local Pregnancy Resource Center

Call your local Pregnancy Resource Center and ask if you can bring a group of students by for a
volunteer day. This can include yard work, office duties, or babysitting!

For more advanced groups, host events


like a Cemetery of the
Innocents, movie night, baby shower,
diaper drive, and a day of silence!
Be sure to attend your local SFLA
Regional Leadership Summit and
the National Students for Life
Conference! For more information on
our Natuonal Conference, vist
sflalive.org

Students For Life |


15

First Name
Last Name

Phone Number

SIGN UP/ATTENDANCE SHEET


Email Address

School Year

LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS
Successful leadership transtitions are crucial to your groups long term ability to impact
your community.You are building a movement and legacy that will last long after you
graduate. The key is to start early! Be on the look out for upcoming leaders from day
one.
Finding Future Leaders

Once an officer knows he or she will be transitioning or graduating, begin to plan for a replacement.
The transitioning officer should identify the potential leaders and begin working with them throughout
the year in order for the transition to happen well. The transitioning officer should be training the new
potential leaders for an extended amount of time before the transitioning officer has finished his or her
time, in order to see that the new leadership is confident and ready to assume the leadership role.

Delegate Tasks

As a leader, you must know the importance and value of delegating tasks. Delegation take a great deal
of trust and time up front, but in the long run you will have members who have input and buy-in
because of the trust you have placed in them through delegation. This not only builds up the clubs
membership, but you will have more committed members (see page 18).

Elections

Elections should take place in the spring semester. At the end of the fall semester, announce the
election date and give a brief description of each position that will need to be filled. Invite members to
begin thinking about a position for which they may want to run for, and highlight the value the current
officer and the position has brought to the club. Most clubs work best by electing certain positions and
allowing the executive board to appoint the rest of the positions.Your club can decide what works best
for your group.The president should be elected first, and then the other roles. This way if someone
runs for president and is not elected, he or she is not prevented from seeking another position.

Candidates

In the spring semester, current officers should focus on encouraging their replacements to take more
responsibilities and begin thinking about taking over a leadership role. Current officers should help
potential officers realize their capacity to make an impact and nominations should be taken a week
before the election.

Transition

Celebrate

Find time as a club to celebrate the new officers and thank the ones who are graduating or moving out
of a position. This is a fun time to socialize as a group and get to know members better.

Students For Life |

The new officers should receive their official responsibilites on the last day of classes, but begin to
transition them into the role before the end of the school year. A transition time allows for new
officers to learn and slowly take over the role from the current officers, which helps make a smooth
transition.

17

RETAINING MEMBERS
Retention is a crucial part of your groups success. Not only do you want to
create an active group in your community, you want your pro-life club to last!
Build Relationships

The most important factor to retaining members is developing relationships. Core team members
should develop personal relationships with other group members so that each member feels
welcomed and valued. By getting to know each person, the officers will be able to identify individual
passions and strengths. These relationships will build community, and they will help bolster a positive
attitude among your members.

Have Socials

When a person gives his/her time and helps the club succeed, he/she deserves
recognition. Building a bond between club members will increase their committment to the group. Be
sure to thank members and to get to know them on a more personal level. One good way to do this
is to have socials! Assign someone within the club to host and plan the event and use that time to get
to know your group members.You can play games or make ice cream sundaes! But remember, this is
not a time for business. Keep the social focused on celebrating your members and having fun! Leave
the event planning and strategizing for a meeting. Socials should take place at least twice a semester.

Delegate

Another good way to keep members involved is to delegate responsibility. When members have
responsibility, they take ownership of the group and become more invested. Delegation requires
leaders to come prepared to the meeting with an idea of what needs to be accomplished. Assign tasks
to members according to their gifts and areas of interest. For example, if a student is good at math,
ask her to help the treasurer with the budget! One common mistake when delegating is trying to
delegate to anyone willing. The better technique is to use the personal relationships developed to
assign tasks to the appropriate individual with the ability to get the job done.

Students For Life |

Your goal is to develop future leaders and activists


by having individuals invest increasingly greater
amounts of their time into something of which they will
eventually take partial ownership. Once they begin
to feel responsible, members will become more
committed to your groups success. If your
club can develop the right culture and events
to retain and develop members, it will always be
growing and achieving greater success.

18

STUDENT TESTIMONIES
You did it! Congradulations on starting a new club! Be sure to contact your
Regional Coordinator and tell us your success story! We love hearing how you
are impacting your community.
Here are a few testimonies from high school students, just like you!
Sam B. - Conneticut

Learning how to better plan my year, coordinate members of my group, how to be a better apologist
and activist has helped me in all aspects of my pro-life activism. I learned much from other students,
and have a great support community to refer to if I need advice or help on my groups activism.

Gabriel V. - Ohio

Students for Life of American has taught me so much and pushed me to always live to bring about a
culture of life at my high school, in my community, and in my city.

Kaitlynn W. - Arizona

Students for Life of America has helped me get a realistic glimpse into the movement which I hope
to eventually work in and it has given me the training, knowledge, and connections I need to really be
able to make a difference in my community.

Adam G. - Alabama

My SFLA Regional Coordinator has been by my side through my walk with starting my group. She
has helped me a lot!

Students For Life |

We are so excited to embark on this journey with


you to abolish abortion!You and your homeschool
group are a part of the pro-life generation and will
play a key role in ending abortion in our nation.
Never give up! Stand strong in the face of adversity
and you will change culture, and ultimately bring a
culture of life to America.
Lets do it!

19

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21

Students for Life of America


OFFERS
FREE TRAINING to your high school group!
WE CAN TRAIN YOUR GROUP IN ANY OF
THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
Pro-Life Activism
Apologetics: Dialoguing about Abortion
Developing Your Leaders
Embracing the Controversy of Abortion
How to Talk about Abstinence
Fundraising for your Group
Recruiting and Retaining Members
Planning Your Year
Planned Parenthoods Abortion Business

AND MORE!
Email us at info@studentsforlife.org or contact your Regional
Coordinator to request a FREE training from SFLA!

Win hearts, change minds,


and save lives on your campus!

exposed, with all the


tension its exposure creates, to the light of
human conscience and the air
Injustice must be

of national opinion before it can be cured.


(Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail)

We are now a much stronger and more


courageous group. Interest in our club has
definitely increased and we had about 50
students sign up to get more information
about Students for Life.
(Cristina M. Barba, President, Penn State Students for Life)

As a result of GAP, Students for Life


has seen its active membership base
increase dramatically.
(Andrew Shirvell, President, University of
Michigan Students for Life)

www.CBRinfo.org
Visit our booth at the SFLA National Conference!

Check out

these awesome FREE publications


from Human Life Alliance!
HLA publications are great for students to learn about important life issues and will
equip you to share what you learn with others. Use them at school, youth groups,
churches and pro-life events. Place them on lunchroom tables, hand them out at
bus stops, distribute them in your neighborhood!

humanlifealliance

1614 93rd Lane NE | Minneapolis, MN 55449 USA


www.humanlife.org | 651-484-1040

To see all of HLAs publictions


and request copies, visit us at

www.humanlife.org

MORE THAN 3K EVERY DAY


Unisex T-Shirt (White)
Save 20% w/ Coupon Code: SFLGB

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FACEBOOK.COM/ABORT73
TWITTER.COM/ABORT73
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9900 Courthouse Road


Spotsylvania, VA 22553
Office Number: 540-834-4600

STUDENTSFORLIFE.ORG

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