Noelle-Ashley DeNooy, a homeschooled sophomore, won the Grand Rapids Right to Life Prolife Oratory Contest and received a $125 scholarship.
This 26th annual competition was held on Tuesday, March 10, at the Grand Rapids Right to Life offices in Wyoming.
DeNooy’s speech focused on her adoption from Guatemala and the fact that although it is a third-world country, her life was spared because abortion is illegal there. Meanwhile, in the United States, over 57 million children have been lost to abortion.
She reflected, “You almost never hear of someone sneaking south into Mexico from the U.S. But I wonder about all those aborted children — if they had the ability, would they not run across the border to Guatemala so they would be protected? To those lost little lives, which is really the Third World country?”
Joseph Coy won second place and a $75 scholarship with his speech on abortion, while Gabriel Meyer placed third and received a $50 scholarship.
Joe DeLange and Kayla Veneklase were runners-up. All contestants received certificates of accomplishment and copies of the book Why Pro-Life? by Randy Alcorn.
DeNooy will compete in the State Oratory Contest, which will be held May 9 in Holt.