Thousands of students showed up early on their school campuses on the morning of Wednesday, September 25, with a singular focus – to pray for their friends, schools, communities, and the unsaved.
See You at the Pole (SYATP) is a global movement of prayer that is student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led.
For the last 34 years, young people have gathered at their school’s flag pole or other community location to “intercede for their leaders, schools, and families, asking God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campuses and countries,” reads a statement on the SYATP website.
The gatherings are constitutionally permissible at public schools because they’re student-led and take place outside of class time, usually before school starts. Adults are encouraged to pray in support of the students on campus by gathering nearby, at their places of work or worship.
The movement, which began in Burleson, Texas, has spread across the globe, and on this day students “all around the world in every time zone, for 24 hours…prayed for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities.”
This year’s theme, “First, Pray,” comes from First Timothy 2:1 which says, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”
That theme encourages students to be bold and pray.
Cassandra Posey, a parent of a Texas high school student, told Texas Scorecard, “Our students need to know it’s okay to be a Christian in the public arena, and we know that when we come together in prayer, anything is possible.”
This year, Christian music artists like Toby Mac, For KING & COUNTRY, and Lauren Daigle are throwing their support behind the 1-million student movement. .
“When I was about 13, 14 years old as a homeschooler I actually got the opportunity to go to the local school to gather with some of my friends, some of my peers for See You At the Poles, ” said Luke Smallbone. “This has always been something that has kind of been real close to me in my heart because I’ve been able to see the power in prayer and to be able to see when schools and students get together and surround that flag and be able to pray together something real significant takes place.”