By Brittany Farrell
North Carolina Family Policy Council
September 11, 2014
Students around the world are preparing for the 24th Annual “See You at the Pole” event to offer prayers for their own generation. This year’s See You at the Pole (SYATP) global event is scheduled for September 24, 2014, but activities will occur at numerous schools around the world throughout the week of September 21-27. This year’s theme of “Never stop praying, especially for others” is from Ephesians 6:18. “The 2014 theme follows Paul’s famous passage on the armor of God, challenging and encouraging Christ followers to stand strong in the Lord and be His representatives to share the Good News of the Gospel.”
SYATP is a student-led event in which students join together at their school flagpole to humble themselves before God in intercession for their generation. Participants are asked to gather in front of their individual schools at 7:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, September 24 to pray for “global unity in Christ and prayer for [their] generation.” Throughout the week of September 21-27, students are encouraged “to find new and unique ways, places, and times to pray” in their public, private, and home school experiences. Ideas include launching “on-campus Bible clubs, prayer strategies, and student ministries.”
The SYATP website has a plethora of resources available to students who wish to organize an event at their school. Note that orders take up to four days to be delivered. Resources include:
- A preparation checklist;
- Planning tips;
- Publicity ideas, including digital images for creating print and online materials, as well as posters, flyers, PSAs, and other downloadable items;
- Promotional videos;
- T-shirts and wristbands for students to wear;
- Legal guidance and contacts.
Students who wish to organize a prayer event are encouraged to let their school administration know about their plans for SYATP. Pastors and parents can provide powerful and prayerful support and encouragement for the students who are stepping up to organize these events in their communities. Students may also wish to host a rally at their school or with other nearby schools in addition to the SYATP prayer event.
In preparation for the annual event, SYATP encourages students, schools, communities, and individuals to begin praying now for the schools, student leaders, and Christian and non-Christian students who will witness or experience SYATP this year.
A law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly and enacted this June clarifies the religious freedom rights of both students and school personnel to participate in events like the SYATP. S370-Respect for Student Prayer/Religious Activity was passed to “clarify student rights to engage in prayer and religious activity in school, to create an administrative process for remedying complaints regarding exercise of those student rights; and to clarify religious activity for school personnel.” Part of this law states that “Local boards of education may not prohibit school personnel from participating in religious activities on school grounds that are initiated by students at reasonable times before or after the instructional day so long as such activities are voluntary for all parties and do not conflict with the responsibilities or assignments of such personnel.”
This story was posted with permission of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. To visit the North Carolina Family Policy Council’s web site, go to www.ncfamily.org.
Note from the Christian Action League:
Students may also want to conduct off-campus a Students Rights in the Public Schools Seminar by the Christian Action League. Via the Christian Action League’s “Students Rights in Public Schools” seminars, Dr. Creech has helped equip young people across the state to take the Gospel to their public school peers without running afoul of the law. To find out more about Students Rights in Public Schools, contact the Christian Action League at (919) 787-0606 to schedule a free seminar in your area.
Read about a recent Student’s Rights Seminar held in Yancey County: Students Rights in the Public Schools Seminar Held in Yancey County and Simulcast Live on the Radio