"Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer." --Charles Finney
A Student-Led Prayer Movement
For the past 28 years, students have initiated, organized, and led See You At The Pole, aGlobal Student Day of Prayer held on the fourth Wednesday of every September.
What began as a late-night prayer in Texas has spread worldwide, uniting millions of students in prayer for their schools, families, and nations.
Ten Teens; One Spark
In 1990, a handful teenagers from Rick Eubanks' youth group in Burleson, Texas gathered for a discipleship retreat. God stirred their hearts with urgency to reach their friends. That very night, they quietly made their way to their schools to pray.
Their vision spread rapidly, leading to the very first See You At The Pole.
At one school, a single girl stood alone at her flagpole. Afterward she said, "I know that this morning I stood alone, but I know that there were thousands standing with me all across the state."
Leaders Join In
At the same time, youth leaders in Texas were praying and networking about how to reach students. When they saw the example of the teenagers, they challenged others to join in united prayer.
At a large summer conference, they cast the SYATP vision. On September 12, 1990, more than 45,000 students from 1,200 schools gathered at flagpoles to pray.
In one city, youth pastors even prayed through the night, laying out a map and interceding for each time zone as the sun rose. Parents joined at dawn to serve breakfast to students heading to pray.
Fanning the Flame
See You At The Pole wasn't invented by adults: it was birthed by students. But wise leaders recognized God at work and supported the movement by:
- Clarifying the vision and purpose
- Giving it a name and date
- Promoting it widely
- Collecting stories of what God was doing
The movement thrived because leaders trusted one another locally and because students, parents, and leaders sought God's direction in unity.
From Dozens to Millions
The results were staggering.
Research by Barna confirmed that by 1993, more than a million students were involved. By 2000, participation had grown to over two million students across every state and many high schools. To this day, SYATP gatherings have been recorded in 66 countries.
George Barna reflected:
"Having more than one million people, primarily under the age of 18, participate in such an event is a major statement about the heart and future of America."
God's Promise
God delights in the humble, courageous prayers of students who gather in unity. As Jeremiah 33:3 reminds us:
"Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know."
We may never fully grasp the magnitude of God's answers to these prayers. But one thing is sure: His response will always be "above what we could ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20).
Join the Movement
See You At The Pole reminds us that global movements often begin with a small group willing to pray. God takes the courage of ordinary students and multiplies it into something extraordinary.
This September, and every day, you can:
- Pray for young people to be bold in their faith.
- Encourage them when they take courageous steps.
- Lift up our own community, schools, and leaders in prayer.
Get equipped to make an impact. Download our Standing In the Gap: 30 Days of Prayer for the Next Generation guide and join the Symphony of Prayer, a united movement of believers interceding for students, schools, and mentors.
One prayer can spark a movement.
Will you be part of it?
Paul served as President of National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM) from 1981 to 2011. He was a founding organizer of See You At The Pole, the Campus Alliance, and the Youth Ministry Executive Council (YMEC). His book, Better Together, shares real-life stories of networks working in unity for lasting impact, along with practical steps for building collaboration in local ministry.
