HONORING LIFE
SHAPING HEARTS

A cultural education program of the Christian Education Network, the Hartshorn Dignity of Life Award celebrates schools discipling students in a biblical view of the sanctity of life.
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View the Statement of Dignity of Life

THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE

The US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision has ushered in a new era for our nation, removing federal mandates on abortion and returning the authority to protect the pre-born to the states and their citizens.

This historic shift creates a vital opportunity for Christian schools to lead the way in building a national culture of life.

By making the dignity of every human life an explicit part of their worldview instruction, educators can shape a future where the most vulnerable are cherished and protected. The Hartshorn Award celebrates this essential mission, recognizing schools that demonstrate excellence in teaching the sanctity of life as a core pillar of a biblical worldview.

RECOGNITION

Each year, all recipients will receive the following recognitions from CEN:

- Award plaque with the year and level.
- Stage recognition at CCV's Essential Summit in October.
- Media recognition at each CCV Gala.
- Press release to their local media.
- A digital seal indicating your school is a Hartshorn Award winner that you can use for marketing and promotion.

Bronze

Schools achieving Bronze Level will adopt the Statement on the Dignity of Life and complete at least one of the following:

Host a pro-life speaker for a chapel service for at least grades 6–12.
Sponsor a baby bottle or diaper drive benefiting a local pro-life pregnancy center.
Partner with a local pregnancy center to present a student program at the school.
Silver

Schools achieving Silver Level will adopt the Statement on the Dignity of Life, send a student delegation to their state's and complete at least one of the following:

Provide at least one hour of pro-life staff training.
Host a pro-life speaker program over at least three days.
Participate in an event sponsored by a local pro-life group.
Establish a fetal development instructional track in their health curriculum.
Organize a pregnancy center student service opportunity.
Establish an on-campus “Students for Life” club.
Other programs may qualify based on prior discussions between CEN and the school.
Gold

Schools achieving Gold Level will adopt the Statement on the Dignity of Life and complete at least one of the following:

Adopt a pro-life curriculum as part of its Course of Study.
Send a student delegation to the National March for Life in Washington, DC, and complete a minimum of a 2-year student survey indicating growth by the percentage of students expressing pro-life beliefs.

How it works

Complete the requirements in the school year for which you're applying.

Apply Online

Await our staff reviewal process

Receive your plaque and recognition

A MESSAGE FROM THE HARTSHORNS

When we were newlyweds over 50 years ago, I (Peggy) was shocked to hear the Roe v. Wade decision announced on the car radio. And so, on January 22, 1973, we both felt called to our life-long work in the mission field created by legalized abortion. God later used our unexpected infertility to solidify our call: we were blessed to adopt our two children as infants because their mothers chose life rather than the new “right” to abortion.

When we as a married couple said yes to God’s call to “do something” about abortion, we first thought it was all about innocent unborn babies. However, we realized that it is also about motherhood, fatherhood, and families as we started housing pregnant women in our home in 1975 and working closely with other women in the midst of crisis pregnancies, women who made adoption plans, and women who had abortions.

Our call is about providing God’s hope and healing and preventing more suffering by sharing God’s loving plan for each person and for the family. Through five decades, we have witnessed how God calls, provides, blesses, strengthens, and heals, all through ordinary people like us­­­­—people in families, churches, faith-based schools, and pro-life, pro-family organizations like Center for Christian Virtue (CCV).

We are honored that CCV has chosen to add our name to this award which singles out faith-based schools that are so essential in teaching, by word and deed, the dignity of each child.