Local schools meet at the flagpole for student prayer
PCHS students participate in See You at the Pole, joining hands and uniting in prayer Sept. 23.
By Nicole Burns and Macy Reeves
For the FCT
Sept. 23 Phil Campbell High School students met at the school’s flagpole located in Parrish Stadium for the global day of prayer event, See You at the Pole.
Russellville Christian Students United also observed annual event at RHS.
PCHS sophomore Carley Nix of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church led the PCHS students in a short devotion based out of Psalm 46:1. “People are looking to you,” Nix encouraged the crowd. “You don’t have to take drugs, or drink alcohol and be like everybody else. He is your strength against peer pressure. Don’t be like the pile of people who go to church every Sunday but don’t live it the rest of the week. Stay strong in your faith.”
Sibling duo sophomore Annah and junior Zac Madden of Mighty Presence Church led the crowd in the song, “I Am Redeemed” made famous by Big Daddy Weave. Before packing up and heading to the day’s classes, the students joined hands to pray for each other, their school and their community.
Nix asked the crowd to say a special prayer for Phil Campbell Elementary first grade teacher, Melissa Stancil, who’s battling breast cancer and was in surgery at UAB at the time of the prayer gathering.
At Russellville High School the students broke into small groups determined by grade. Each of the small groups were led by CSU officers. The freshman were led by secretary Ashleigh Morgan and President Macy Reeves; the sophomores were led by treasurer JJ McCormick; juniors were led by chairpersons Nate Franklin and Logan Wallace; and the seniors were led by Vice President Salvador Blanco.
The small groups took time to pray for each area the nation, Russellville City Schools and their personal walks with God.
“See You at the Pole” began in 1990 as a grassroots effort by 10 students who wanted to meet for prayer at their school. Twenty-five years later, millions of students make the effort to gather at school flagpoles across America to pray together.
