Since starting 45 years ago, March for Life continues to be a main feature and talked about event in religious groups and politics. Conway Springs, through the Diocese of Wichita, has added to the event by routinely sending a group of people, usually Catholic freshmen, to Washington D.C. each year to experience the march.

March for Life is a rally protesting the practice and legalization of abortion in America. It is held on or around the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Starting out with only a few hundred participants, the march has now grown to be in the hundred thousands. Many show up and continue the rally, even during snow storms. Half of the participants are under the age of 30 and usually from religious schools or groups, according to the Washington Post.

“I go to March for Life to hopefully stop abortions,” sophomore Jacob Stuhlsatz said. “Going the second time this year, I knew more about what we were standing for and everything so I better understood what we were doing there.”

Although not all March for Life participants attend for religious reasons, the group sent from Conway is organized through St. Joseph church. The group raises money for the trip throughout the months leading to the event. For the past few years, they have sold Krispy Kreme donuts. The freshmen get to use the march and the raising of funds to help them qualify for being confirmed later in the year.

The group from Conway traveled a 24-hour bus ride to join the rally.

“On the way there, you can’t really sleep because everyone is really excited,” freshman Lance Pauly said. “The bus ride is really long.”

While there, the group often goes sight-seeing as well.

“Going to the Capitol building and Basilica were probably my favorite places,” freshman Lauren Mercer said. “They were both really cool and big.”