High school students from Pearl River County will participate in this year’s March for Life in Washington D.C., two days after the inauguration of the new president.

Their goal is to have the new president, who has pro-choice views, take notice of their effort to promote pro-life views.

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Youth Coordinator Claire Massery said the march not only wants to protect babies, but all life. As part of that effort, the church’s Youth For Life Ministry will send 14 members to participate in the annual March For Life.

While this will be the sixth year Picayune’s Catholic church will participate in the march, the March for Life has been held in Washington D.C. for the past 36 years, ever since the Supreme Court’s decision to legally allow abortion in the Roe Vs Wade case.

All but one of the 14 high school students participating in the trip live in Pearl River County and are part of the church’s youth ministry. The other member lives in Pearl River, La., Massery said.

Tuesday, the group boarded buses met up with pro-life members from New Orleans and headed up to Washington. After taking a day to rest up from their 20-hour bus ride they will participate in the march on Thursday.

The hope is that the March for Life down Constitution Avenue will make the new president take notice of their effort to ban abortions, Massery said.

“If that don’t catch his attention I don’t know what will,” Massery said.

Youth for Life Ministries member and Picayune Memorial High School student Tori Daigrepont said participation in the march is a good way to stand up for the lives of those who cannot stand up for themselves.

Home school student and Youth for Life Ministries member Emily Bordelon said she’s excited to participate in the march two days after the presidential inauguration. It’s important for young people to get involved in pro-life efforts, she said.

By Sunday morning the group will be back in Picayune, Massery said.