RSSPole holds magnetic attraction for students
for the Yakima Herald-Republic
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Many students. Several prayers. One flagpole.
"See You at the Pole" is an event in which students take time out before school to gather around the flagpole and pray for their school, their leaders and the nation.
It happens on the fourth Wednesday of September, usually at 7 a.m. Students across the country in both private and public schools participate.
"I think it's a great rallying point," says Jim Herring, a Bible teacher at Yakima's Riverside Christian School. "It sets the stage for the year."
The tradition started in 1990 with a group of teenagers in Texas, and has continued on ever since. In fact, the movement has spread to other countries, including Canada and Australia.
Last year, more than 2 million teenagers met for "See You at the Pole" events in all 50 states, according to the official "See You at the Pole" Web site at www.syatp.com.
This year's event took place Sept. 24. And this year's theme came from the Bible verse 1 Samuel 3:10: "CONNECT: Speak, for your servant is listening."
At Riverside Christian, a group of students -- including 13-year-old Megan Bos of Yakima -- arrived at school an hour early to make it to "See You at the Pole."
"I came to pray with friends," says Bos, an eighth-grader. "I think it can bring the student body closer together."
Students' prayers ranged from reaching out to the community to raising money for a new school building, and even for the soccer game taking place later that day.
"The more we pray for the school, the more it will change," says 16-year-old Riverside junior Holly Allen. "And I want to see a change in the city." Students also expressed their gratitude for the United States and the First Amendment, which grants freedom of religion.
"Freedom of religion means I can worship God however I want to," says 13-year-old Jordan DeSanto, an eighth-grader at Riverside.
Public safety in the Yakima Valley and the upcoming presidential election were also on students' minds during the event.
"I think the topic most prayed about across the nation is the election," Allen says. "It is a really big deal."
* Unleashed reporter Hannah Kivi is a freshman at Riverside Christian School.
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