By Abby Cianciolo
Photography Editor
Wednesday morning, thirty plus Westford Academy students stood at the front of the building surrounding the flag pole. Onlookers were confused on what was going on, but those who were there knew very well what was going on, See You at the Pole Day 2012.
See You at the Pole is a national organization that encourages Christian students to meet on the last Wednesday of September, to pray over the nation, school, and students. It was started twenty years ago in public schools all around the United States.
“I am so glad this many people showed up…the numbers more than doubled from last year,” says Junior Becca Corbett, who co-organized the event.
The program is spread through word of mouth, churches, and social media sites such as Facebook. Over 2 million students participate in the event each year, and about thirty of those came from Westford Academy on Wednesday.
The event was held in the morning, and included singing “Our God is Greater” by Chris Tomlin, led by Anna Gould, Becca Corbett and Shirley Ge. A brief time of prayer was held that was focused on praying for the nation, school, and the Westford Academy students.
“The number of denominations and churches represented was really surprising,” said freshman, Brian Warner, who participated in the event. Warner added, “It was great to see so many kids gathering around to proclaim their faith in front of the school”.
All those who participated that morning hope that the numbers will continue to increase with the coming years, and that their actions will inspire others to realize the amount of Christians there are in the halls of Westford Academy.
Agree with Stop • Nov 1, 2012 at 6:07 pm
School is meant to be a safe haven for people. Race, religion, political beliefs, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation have no place being a topic of conversation in school. It’s not being unfair to ask people to keep their private lives out of the public school sector. Separating your private life and public life is a very adult task. Some people may argue that as high school students we are too young to practice this.
High school students are NOT children. Many kids drink, smoke, do drugs, and have sex. Some kids get pregnant. A lot of kids drive. Others are joining the army. Several others have jobs. A lot of kids are taking AP classes, learning college-level material. These are very real, adult actions that they are performing and adult problems that they are facing.
I think everyone can start behaving like adults. When you’re in school, focus on your education. If you want to make school a better place for everyone, JUST BE NICE.
Wow guys • Oct 9, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Honestly, people,
if christians meeting new friends is something so harmful to others, why is there even such an event?
If we are supposed to foster tolerance, is telling people that their religious celebrations are frowned upon and that they shouldn’t even exist tolerant?
Reconsider your viewpoints and see that we are only trying to worship and meet new friends.
Another participant • Oct 8, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Indeed school is a place for learning, which is why we have See You at the Pole every year before school begins so we don’t break any rules or detract from anyone’s learning. If you’re so disapproving of students essentially expressing who they are with others like them, then please just ignore us next time.
Still confused • Oct 3, 2012 at 6:10 pm
School is NOT a place to meet people with the same beliefs of you. School is to:
(1) Learn
(2) Learn more
(3) “Foster tolerance”
Clearly WA has failed to foster tolerance in you, “SYATP participant” if you believe school is for just finding other homogenous people and basically ignoring anyone else that suggests a differentiating view.
Stop • Sep 30, 2012 at 4:23 pm
School is a place for learning, it is no place for religious displays. In my eyes this would only be understandable in a Christian school, not public. Public schools are for everyone and are not meant to allow religious actions that only pertain to one group. This prayer group is out of line, praying for their peers can be done else where if they must, but when I hear that phrase it makes me think they are praying for their peers cuz they need help, like because they aren’t in that prayer circle or Chrisitan they need help. The fact that it was on Yom Kippur is bad planning too it doesn’t matter if it was that way for years, take other into consideration if you are seriously trying to “help your peers”. Prayer is for church keep it there.
SYATP participant • Sep 29, 2012 at 7:09 pm
This was not at all to “flaunt” our religion. It was an opportunity for Christians to meet christians from other churches and to pray for our peers. School is a place to meet people with the same beliefs and interests as you. This group just so happens to be brought together by their faith and religion. We were in now way, shape, or form trying to put our religion in anyones face.
Still confused • Sep 29, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Funny how we don’t see the Muslim, Jewish, or any other religious population in Westford do something like this. Only Christians have the audacity to put their religion right in everybody else’s face AT school no less. Why they can’t just practice at places of worship, like a church, and NOT at school is beyond me — I guess they have to flaunt their faith in front of everyone else and sings songs for them to be true Christians.
Confusion cleared up • Sep 27, 2012 at 8:07 pm
While the day was coincidentally on Yom Kippor, some Christians celebrate Yom Kippor. Chapters 8 to 10 of the Epistle to the Hebrews argue that Yom Kippor pointed forward to Christ’s work as priest. On the one hand, “only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance,” (Hebrews 9:7). Christ, however, “went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption,”
For more information, check out this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_observances_of_Yom_Kippur
Abby Cianciolo • Sep 27, 2012 at 6:06 pm
It was purely a coincidence. It’s been on this day for several years.
Confused • Sep 27, 2012 at 11:40 am
When I first heard about this yesterday morning I was kinda taken aback that they would choose to have a Christian celebration so obviously on Yom Kippur. Upon reading this, I understand that it was a coincidence, but it still doesn’t sit quite right with me.