Jefferson County students gather for See You at the Pole
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STEUBENVILLE -- Nearly 800 students across Jefferson County gathered before school this week to pray for their classmates, teachers, schools, communities and nation as part of the annual See You at the Pole observance.
From Monday morning at Harding Middle School to Friday morning at Toronto High School, students at six area schools took part in the nationwide student-led prayer initiative. By the end of the week, 787 students had participated, including record-setting turnouts at several schools.
The week began Monday when 135 students gathered at Harding Middle School, where student Aaron Ashby helped close the gathering by leading his classmates in prayer.
On Tuesday, the observance moved to Indian Creek High School, where 82 students participated. Wednesday brought two more gatherings, with 200 students at Steubenville High School and 100 at the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School.
The week concluded with two particularly strong turnouts. Edison High School welcomed 75 students Thursday morning, while 195 students gathered at Toronto High School Friday. Both Edison and Toronto recorded their largest See You at the Pole gatherings ever.
The six events brought the week’s combined attendance to 787 students -- nearly 800 young people gathering voluntarily for prayer before the start of their school day.
See You at the Pole is an annual student-led event held at schools throughout the United States and other countries. Students typically gather around their school’s flagpole before classes to pray for their friends, teachers, administrators, families, communities and nation.
Locally, the week was coordinated through the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes student led clubs who work with students throughout the school year at area middle and high schools.
While the growing attendance was encouraging, local FCA Ambassador Bobbyjon Bauman said the most meaningful part of the week was watching students take ownership of the gatherings themselves.
“What was so encouraging was seeing students willing to come to school early and stand together with their friends to pray,” Bauman said. “Nobody was requiring them to be there. They chose to come, and at every school we saw students stepping forward and taking leadership.”
The turnout also reflected the growth of FCA involvement throughout the area. Steubenville High School had 107 students attend their recent FCA Huddle meeting which was their largest turnout ever.
For Bauman, the lasting impact of the week goes beyond attendance figures.
“We are obviously excited to see nearly 800 students participate, but See You at the Pole isn’t really about a number,” Bauman said. “It’s about young people caring enough about their friends, their teachers and their schools to pray for them. To see that happen at six different schools throughout our county in one week was incredibly encouraging.”
The week ended Friday morning in Toronto with its largest gathering, as 195 students surrounded the flagpole.
It was a fitting conclusion to a week that began with 135 students at Harding and ultimately brought together nearly 800 students across six Jefferson County schools -- united by a desire to pray for their schools and their communities.