The morning

sun was just starting to peek out from behind the clouds

Wednesday when students at Starr's Mill High School began

gathering around the flag pole. The scene was repeated at

campuses all over Fayette County, and around the world.

The

students and their teachers came together to pray in

observance of "See You at the Flagpole," an

annual event which last year drew about three million

students across the United States and in 20 countries.

Quietly, boys and girls walked toward the circle which

formed in front of the flagpole, dropped their backpacks

and joined in song as a student strummed his guitar.

"It's

cool that you're here and standing up for your

faith," said Anna Leary, a senior and former

president of the Fellowship of Christian Students and

Christian Athletes.

Emily

Willis, a math teacher at Starr's Mill and sponsor of the

Fellowship of Christian Students, started off the

spontaneous prayer. "Thank you, for each and every

student who has come out and showed their peers that they

believe in you," Willis said.

A student

chimed in, "Give us the power to change our school

and our world..." Another voice added, "Pray

for our community... soften the hearts of the

world."

With heads

bowed, many with eyes closed to the traffic building on

the road leading up to the school's entrance, the

students continued their intercessions.

Altogether

about 60 students and teachers took part in the morning

prayer service at Starr's Mill. Across the lawn were

another 40 or so students at Rising Starr Middle School

holding hands in twin circles, having their conversations

with God.

Last year,

Starr's Mill students observed the prayer service on a

practice field. "We didn't have a flag pole

yet," Willis said about the county's newest

secondary school.

The first

"See You at the Flagpole" prayer day was in

1990, initiated by a Southern Baptist church youth group

in Burleson, Texas. The idea caught on and traveled

across Texas and eventually spanned the country and the

globe. Because it is a student-organized and student-led

event held before class time, it is legal in terms of

mixing church and state.