By Drake Lucas
Sentinel & Enterprise
FITCHBURG -- Students at St. Bernard's Central Catholic
High School said they may not be able to vote yet, but they are not
too young to take a stand for political causes they believe in.
Two major ways the students get involved are by participating in an anti-abortion march in Washington, D.C., and the Third Chair Campaign, which spreads the anti-abortion message.
"It is our age that abortion affects," said Angela DeMalia, a junior at St. Bernard's and president of the school's Young Republicans Club. "We are the ones who could be getting pregnant."
Student advisor Kathy Jordan takes students to Washington, D.C. every year to join in the anti-abortion march on January 23.
The march is held on the anniversary of the day that Roe vs. Wade was decided. The case legalized abortion.
Jordan said watching the students discuss abortion with other demonstrators, and sometimes lawmakers, shows they know and care about the issues.
"They learn the democratic process, that they have the freedom and the right to express their opinion," said Jordan. "When they get to the Supreme Court building, they are able to debate with any pro-choice supporters they find at the top."
Josh Grzyb is a senior who plans to participate in the march for the first time this year.
He said he is frustrated that adults often don't listen to young people's views.
"I wish to go down there and demonstrate how freedom of speech and right to open assembly can really send a huge message to the masses," he said.
Jordan said students were so overwhelmed by what they saw at the march three years ago that they decided to start something called the Third Chair Campaign.
The students believe that one in every three babies die every 12 seconds to abortion, so they made coverlets for desks in their classrooms to mark the places of children they said should be there.
Each coverlet has a different phrase, such as "I might have been a track star," or "I might have been a doctor," to represent the possible identities of the unborn babies.
Andy Rota, a sophomore who works on the Third Chair campaign, said they hope to make more coverlets and send them to other schools.
"One of the ways to spread the pro-life message is by education," said Rota.
Students said a Catholic upbringing influenced their views, and most said they are conservative Republicans.
But they also said that they are encouraged to debate topics in their classes.
Outside the classroom is where they struggle to be heard.
Gryzb said getting involved in politics is the best way to prove they care.
"Rather than be told what's going on, we need to become more a part of it. We need to be asked how we feel on political issues...," he said.