HANCOCK COUNTY — Wednesday morning, students around the country will rise early to gather at their school flagpoles and pray before classes begin.
Students at a number of area schools plan to participate in the annual See You at the Pole prayer gathering. Drew Pieratt has been part of the event in the past and plans to be among the 40 or so who gather for student-led singing and prayer at New Palestine High School.
“I think the prayer at the pole is an awesome opportunity,” the senior said, “to bring people in to a positive environment, be selfless, and just pray for our school and the people in it.”
Cristy Corwin-Howard remembers participating in the event as a student. Now, the fifth-grade teacher sees students participating in the event outside Greenfield Intermediate School and Harris Elementary, which are next door to each other.
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She estimates 10 to 15 people are there when the gathering starts each year, growing to 30 to 40 people during the 20-minute time slot. They go around the circle and share what they’re thankful for and what their prayer concerns are. This year, participating students in the Greenfield-Central district will gather Tuesday instead because an e-learning day is planned for Wednesday.
Groups with various perspectives on See You at the Pole are interested in how the morning unfolds. The Freedom From Religion Foundation posts a “What to Watch For” list on its website, while Alliance Defending Freedom has posted a summary of students’ rights related to the event.
Josh Robertson, children’s minister at Wilkinson Church of Christ, said elementary students he works with have not faced opposition for their voluntary participation in the event. Those students will be among the group gathered outside Eastern Hancock Elementary on Wednesday morning.
He said student prayers or shared prayer requests at this age are typically about safety and having a good day. He hopes prayers shared now are building blocks of his students’ faith in the future.
“My hope is that they will start to trust in God … I want them to be able to enjoy the benefits of knowing God,” he said, “and to be able to pray and see their prayers come to life.”
New Palestine senior Haley Harrison, who like Pieratt plans to be at Wednesday’s gathering, said praying as a group is meaningful.
“Prayer is such an impactful and powerful way to change the community,” said Harrison, who will help lead singing Wednesday. “In Matthew, God tells us that when two or more are gathered in his name, he is there.
“And when there’s a community of people praying for the goodness of our schools and community, God will show up in that place.”
