Millions of students will gather from around the country to surround school flagpoles in effort to unite in prayer for their campuses. Held on the fourth Wednesday in September, the annual See You at the Pole (SYATP) will take place on campus in front of the Peoples Church sanctuary at 7 A.M. on Sept. 26.
“Last year it (SYATP) was really moving,” Taryn Brown, ’08, said. “I didn’t expect so many teens to get up early to pray.”
According to syatp.com, the event is a student-initiated, organized and led event. Students pray for their school, friends, teachers, government and nation.
See You at the Pole was started in 1990 by some teens in Burleson, Texas, who met at their flagpole on a Saturday night. By 1999 the concept had spread throughout Texas and over 45,000 teens met on Sept. 12 to pray for their school.
“I think SYATP is important and it is a way for schools to connect to each other,” Scott Falk, campus pastor, said. “When we connect with other schools it is a way of saying that we are not the only believers.”
The theme for SYATP this year is John 17:20-23.
“I think people should go to SYATP,” Doug Daniel, ’10, said. “If you want to see God and things change in your life, prayer is where things start.”
SYATP’s growth now expands to several countries around the world. Today, more than 3 million students from all 50 states participate.
“SYATP is a great opportunity for us to come together and pray as one,” Ellie Mullins, ’09, said. “It is also a chance to pray for our country, our school, and other things.”
SYATP is a part of the student National Week of Prayer, Sept. 24-28. Not only does the campus plan to participate on Wednesday morning, but all schools offer sites on their own campus, usually around the flagpole.
“I think it is a good opportunity for students to participate in student National Week of Prayer,” Jackie Cowin, ’10, said, “because students can come to gather and pray and support for our nation.”
As president of Frontline Christian club at Buchanan, Cody Ashford, ’09, shares similar excitement towards the event.
“SYATP is really cool at a public school because we get to see fellow believers gathered at one place united,” Ashford said. “Each year there are around 200-250 students each year.”
Students who find it difficult to organize a SYATP event on their campus, go online and read about student rights. According to Supreme Court precedent and their constitutional rights, students already have permission. SYATP is student-led, it is before school hours, and it is outside of any school building. Legal help is available at this site as well.
