Underneath the flag pole in front of Russellville High School, about two dozen students gathered for prayer and inspiration Wednesday morning.
Many Mid-Missouri students did the same before their school day as part of the national See You At The Pole. Since 1990, See You At the Pole has grown from three schools in Texas to more than 3 million students each year participating in more than 20 countries.
Sophomore Cory Libbert led a brief devotion for the Russellville students and teachers, encouraging them to find strength in God and to put on the spiritual armor of God. He read from Ephesians 6:10-20, which includes verse 18, from which the national theme "#NeverStopPraying" is based.
Students then shared prayer requests for family, personal burdens, the sick, the nation and their school.
"See You at the Pole is an event important to me because it gives people the chance to hear the word of God," Libbert said. "I wanted to lead See You at the Pole this year because it gives me the chance to share the word of the gospel and possibly change somebody's life."
Libbert has attended See You At The Pole since seventh grade, and this year stepped up to lead the event when he was unsure whether it would happen. He was supported by his youth group at Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
"It is my job as a Christian to share the Word of God and I am good at talking to people, so why not do it?" Libbert said.
Russellville wasn't the only school district that had students participate in "See You at the Pole." The Jefferson City Public Schools also had many students come out for the event, which took place at 7:30 a.m. before the school day started.
At Lewis and Clark Middle School, between 50 and 60 teens participated, crossing arms and holding hands around the flagpole on the northwest side of the building. The event was sponsored by the school's Fellowship of Christian Athletes club.
Bethany McCullough, a 14-year-old eighth grader, was delighted to see such a large turnout. She said everyone enjoyed hearing and singing along to "God's Not Dead" by the Newsboys, a Christian pop-rock band founded in Australia.
"We listened to music. And we prayed for our families, our school and our nation," she said.
McCullough said that each student took turns sharing their own personal words of prayer. Many prayed for peace, happiness and the hope that everyone would have a good day at school.
A member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church in Holts Summit, she said most of her friends from church are home-schooled. It was a relief to see how many Christian students attend her own school, she said.
"There are a lot of Christians at my school," she said. "It gave me a sense that you are not alone."
Her friend, 13-year-old Hannah Keely, expressed similar sentiments. The two girls first met in FCA.
"In my prayer, I said I was thankful to have so many Christian friends," Keely said.
A sixth-grader, 12-year-old Bradley Trillow, said the See You at the Pole filled him with a sense of calm.
"It was a moment to be peaceful and it was a chance to speak out and tell the word of God to people who normally don't come to FCA meetings."