Yesterday at 7 a.m., students from all four Demopolis City Schools gathered at their flagpoles for prayer and celebration.

The annual “See You at the Pole” — now in its 19th year — is a student-led nationwide prayer group that meets at the school’s flagpole to discuss prayer needs and to follow through with prayer.

At Demopolis High School, the Fellowship for Christian Athletes sponsors “See You at the Pole,” which began in 1990 in Burleson, Texas, when a small group of teens came together for a DiscipleNow weekend. It is celebrated on the fourth Wednesday of September.

At the DHS flagpole yesterday, students gathered and opened the day with song, led by Sydney Hasty and Jenny Hurst, who both played guitars. The gathering was also organized by Lauren Atkins and Hillary Stapp.

“They broke into groups for prayer time,” said Danny Wasson, the DHS faculty sponsor for FCA. “It’s a time of prayer for the school, for our country, the elections, the faculty and so on. In those groups, they will ask different kids to pray.”

A prayer walk is also planned in association with “See You at the Pole.” The walk will take place tomorrow, Sept. 25. Participants will meet at First Baptist Church in Demopolis at 6 p.m. to gather prayer requests, then will divide into groups and go to the Demopolis schools. Participants will walk around the schools, stopping at certain points to pray for those requests.