“See you at the Pole” is an annual event that gives school students the opportunity to express their desire to be able to pray.

“This is the only time during the year that students are allowed to pray at school,” said Cordia Lee, guidance counselor at Escambia County Middle School. “The students do all the work and organize it every year. They invite other students, church members and city officials to join them at the flag pole on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 7:30 a.m. at Escambia County Middle School.”

This local “See you at the Pole” is based on a national event that began in 1990 in Burleson, Texas.

It began as a grass-roots type of event that actually began with a group of students that went to three different schools to pray for the students, teachers, government and the nation. It caught on, and today there are thousands of students and teachers who meet on the fourth Wednesday in September for their time of prayer and singing.

“The students have organized this year’s event themselves,” said Lee. “I have been here for five years and I know the students have participated for at least that long. Right now there are nine students, six teachers and a couple of pastors who plan on taking part. They plan on having a time for prayer and to sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ and ‘America the Beautiful.’ James Weber, who is the choir director at the school, will have part of the choir there to sing. It should be a good gathering. We have always had good participation from the local community and school students.”