This marks the ninth year since the annual event was first organized

Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today

Once again, a network of area organizations, led by Clark County Prayer Connect and the National Network of Youth Ministries, are inviting area residents to join in an hour of prayer for students returning to public schools for the 2023-2024 school year. This marks the ninth year since the annual event was first organized.

Several other organizations have joined in the effort this year. They are Moms in Prayer International, Young Life, Christian Educators Association and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 

This year, the event will focus on students entering elementary, middle and high schools throughout Clark County.

“We all care about students in Clark County,’’ said Dennis Fuqua, executive director of the Vancouver-based Clark County Prayer Connect. “We all want the best for them. So, let’s take just one hour and pray for them.’’

This year’s event will take place on Sun., Aug. 13 through Sun., Aug. 20. 

“Grades 6 through 8, or 9 depending on the school, are really some of the most critical ages of development in a person’s life,’’ Fuqua said. “That’s when they are moving away from being children to being adults. That’s when their bodies are changing and that’s when their minds are changing. 

“As important as it is to pray for high school students, it’s even more important to pray for middle school students because of the stage of life that they’re in moving from children to adults,’’ Fuqua added. “We just want to be able to include as much prayer for middle school students as possible.’’

For all information, including dates and times for specific schools and locations, go to 1hourprayer.com. 

“We’ve found that praying at a location for that location produces more insightful prayers,’’ Fuqua said. “Everyone is invited; parents, students, grandparents, teachers, friends. 

The schedule for most events (at each school) will be to gather at the flagpole at 7 p.m. (suggested start time, weekends offer more flexible start times) for introductions, to talk through the brochure and pray together. Small groups of two or three will then scatter to walk and pray at various locations around the school. All participants will then gather again at the flagpole to debrief and share stories of what led them to pray.

Clark County Prayer Connect members encourage the following:

• Use some of these words as you pray for students. Pray they would experience: health, safety, prosperity, wholeness, contentment, welfare, completeness, friendship, happiness and restoration.
• Pray that their lives would flourish; that nothing would be missing or broken in their lives.
• Pray for students who are already believers in Jesus, that they would fully possess these traits and demonstrate them to their classmates.
• Pray for students who are not yet followers of Jesus, that they would see these traits in others and find their peace in Jesus.

Participants are also able to become a “Point Person” to organize a time at a school of their choice. If you have a desire to pray at a particular school, go to the website to see the schedule.  If the school you are interested in is not yet covered, become a “Point Person” for that school.