Record number of students receive chastity message from Generation Life

Philadelphia, PA, June 25, 2008—Generation Life announced today that 36,239 students heard the chastity and pro-life messages during the 2007-2008 school year through their chastity education programs presented by the team of seven full-time Generation Life educators.  

Among this number, 18,702 high school students were reached in 35 high schools.  The grade school program for 7th and 8th grade students reached 3,698 students in 60 schools plus 2,207 students from 63 schools who attended the 8th Grade Chastity Days program in May. 

Through college outreach, Generation Life reached nine colleges and universities with programs to enhance the pro-life activities and educate on chastity and theology of the body topics. 

Beach Outreach which commenced in mid-June brought the message of chastity to about 5,000 students at the Jersey Shore.  Nearly 50 high school and college students and young adults volunteered with Generation Life over two weeks to comb the beaches and boardwalks and engage in conversations about healthy decision making regarding sex and relationships. 

The remaining students were reached through the special events that Generation Life sponsors including prayer vigils, rallies, and diocesan- and parish-based programs. 

Generation Life also reached 1,175 parents through various types of venues including home and school association meetings and mother/ daughter tea programs.  Generation Life believes that the primary educators of children are their parents and welcomes all opportunities to work with parents to reinforce the chastity message they received in the classroom. 

Judi McLane, director of Generation Life, made the following statement regarding the success of chastity and pro-life outreaches this year: "This year has been our most successful yet!  With seven full-time educators, we are making a difference in building a culture of life in the city of Philadelphia and across the country.  Follow-up surveys have indicated that young people who hear the Generation Life message have a change of heart.  The Generation Life team has saved tens of thousands of young people from the harms of sexual promiscuity.  The best news is that the message of chastity is growing and the young people that we speak to are developing into the leaders of tomorrow.  These leaders will change the tide of our nation and will leave behind a legacy of respecting life and the gift of sexuality."

Contact Judi McLane for more information at 215-885-4669.

Annual Generation Life beach outreach spreads good news about saving sex for marriage!

Stone Harbor, NJ, June 11, 2008—Generation Life, a Philadelphia-based group, will embark today on our seventh annual Beach Outreach project.  The Beach Outreach has been a key project of Generation Life in sharing the benefits of chastity and sexual purity with our peers who are celebrating graduation at the Jersey Shore.  

Generation Life is an organization comprised of young people committed to promoting a "culture of life."  Opposed to the "culture of death" that preaches the "safe sex" message to teens; Generation Life spreads the pro-life and chastity messages to their peers.  Generation Life consists of virgins and renewed virgins who are challenging and empowering other middle school, high school and college students and young adults to spread the good news about sexuality and their bodies through saving sex for marriage.

Cristina Barba has attended Beach Outreach since its inception and will direct this year’s program.  “Our hope is to engage in as many quality dialogues as possible with students celebrating high school graduation,” said Barba.  “We hope to catch seniors before making bad decisions, asking them to rethink their behavior before a huge mistake.” 

On June 11-13 and 18-21, Generation Life will comb the beaches of Ocean City, Sea Isle, Stone Harbor and Avalon offering information and conversation regarding sexual purity.  At night, Generation Life will hit the boardwalks in Ocean City to continue the open dialogue with the newly graduated seniors!

For more information about Generation Life's Beach Outreach, contact at Cristina Barba at 610-306-5559.       

Thousands of Eighth Graders to Hear the Chastity Message

Philadelphia, PA-- On May 6, 7 and 8, 2008 between 10am-12pm, Generation Life, a movement of young people spreading the pro-life and chastity messages, will speak to thousands of students at the 20th Annual Eighth Grade Chastity Days at the various host high schools: Cardinal O’Hara (Tues, May 6), Bishop Shanahan (Wed, May 7), and Archbishop Ryan (Thurs, May 8).  The program which challenges young people to save sex for marriage will include: prayer, music, skits and commercials given by the Generation Life team. 

Generation Life is staffed by young adults who bring this vital message to students in middle schools and high schools.  Countering the media lies about our sexuality that young people hear on a daily basis, Generation Life shares the truth with them about how liberating living a chaste life can be.

Generation Life invites members of the press to attend the program on any day in order to witness the messages of life and love presented to young people in a way that is interactive, down-to-earth and compelling. 

For more information about Generation Life, please visit our website at www.generationlife.org.

Generation Life calls for greater attention to chastity education in light of news that 1 in 4 teen girls has an STD

Philadelphia, PA, March 13, 2008/ Generation Life expressed their concern today regarding the news from the 2008 National STD Prevention Conference that 1 in 4 teenage girls has an STD by the time she graduates from high school.

“This is a problem, and it clearly shows that so-called ‘safer sex’ being toted by the Planned Parenthood in our schools and through the media is ineffective in preventing the spread of these dangerous STDs,” said Judi McLane, director of Generation Life.  “Teens are bombarded with the message that if they want to be kept safe from STDs, they only need to wear a condom, while at the same time, studies—such as the 2000 report on condoms released by the National Institutes of Health et al.—have shown that there is insufficient scientific proof that condoms prevent the spread of 6 of the 8 most common STDs: STDs are spread not only through fluids, but also through skin contact in the entire mid-thigh to abdomen region.” 

“Their press release stated that the most important way of preventing the devastating effects of STDs is to provide more comprehensive testing for STDs especially to the high-risk population, however that doesn’t not aid in preventing the spread of these diseases,” McLane continued.  “If our government was really serious about ending this nation health epidemic, they would throw more effort behind abstinence and chastity education efforts. Students who hear and embrace the chastity message—saving sex and all sexually intimate acts for marriage—aren’t engaging in high-risk sexual behavior that spreads STDs.  When will educators and health advocates wake up and realize that the only ‘safe sex’ is sex saved for marriage? More attention should be given to the need for chastity education in the classrooms, through the media, on the streets and in the home.”  

“However, we at Generation Life have faith in young people—particularly African-American girls who are at greatest risk for STDs—that they can make a choice for chastity,” said McLane.  “We believe that the abstinence message builds up this minority group and brings them hope and a promise of a brighter future.” 

Generation Life is a movement of young people dedicated to building a culture of life by spreading the pro-life and chastity messages to other young people. 

Roe v. Wade Anniversary Rally at City Hall, Philadelphia

Friday, January 19th, Noon – 1 pm

Generation Life- young people spreading the messages of pro-life and chastity- is rallying for an end to abortion.  This is a public call for an end to the destruction of our generation through abortion.  The rally will feature speakers, testimonies from women who regret their abortion decision, pro-life songs, prayer for the end to abortion and more.

Generation Life decries NEA for support of "reproductive freedom"

Philadelphia, PA, June 25, 2007/ Generation Life joins Pro-Life Educators and Students to decry the National Education Association for their "support [of] family planning, including the right to reproductive freedom." 

"On their website, the NEA insists that they are not pro-choice, and they even point out how they have helped pregnant teachers in difficult situations," said Mary Worthington, High School Coordinator at Generation Life.  "That's all good and well, however they also insist that they support reproductive freedom, which by it's very definition means they support abortion.  It is our generation that has suffered most from the 48 million abortions that have happened legally since 1973.  Furthermore, these children would have been students in classrooms, providing jobs to teachers.  The NEA's stance on abortion is frighteningly ironic."

Generation Life is supporting the July 1st picket of the NEA convention in Philadelphia. 

Generation Life is a movement of young people dedicated to building a culture of life by spreading the pro-life and chastity messages to other young people. 

For more information, contact Judi McLane at 215-896-5622 or Mary Worthington at 215-885-4668