Tiny bombs of raindrops plop down from the daunting gray clouds onto the damp pavement leading to the gathering site of See You at the Pole at 8:00 a.m. Students from a multitude of school organizations scurry over, placing their backpacks parallel to the low wall proudly guarding the main symbols for the event. The soft strumming of a lone guitar beckons the students to trickle around the circumference of the star at the center of the courtyard. From that vantage point, they face the culprit of the luring sound.

Junior Esther Hicks plucks her brown acoustic while singing alongside junior Lauren Gonzales to “This is Amazing Grace” at the top of the steps underneath the awning in front of the gymnasium entrance. Two more musicians complements the duo: a sophomore gently plays a keyboard, while junior Will Yancosek accompanies with steady beats. “Some guy” (jokingly named by Hicks), assists the band with a sound system.

By the time the piece concludes, the group of attendees squeeze their way up the steps to acquire a more intimate feel.

“Thank you all for being here,” Hicks says into a microphone. “We’re all here for one thing, and that is Jesus!”

“Amen!” everyone shouts.

Junior Aubra Mizelle approaches the mike, and begins praying. “Thank you God for giving us the ability to go to a school to worship freely.” Hicks quietly plays her guitar at the same time.

Throughout the event, sheets of music make their rounds throughout the crowd of worshippers, followed by passionate praying requests brought forth for loved ones, the military, hurricane victims, the government, and those fallen victim to gun violence.

“Jesus loves us in a reckless way,” Coach Daigle, the coordinator of the program, says to everyone. “[Let us] sing with the reckless passion in the [same] way [that] He loves us.”

A group of volleyball players tightly grasp one another with eyes squeezed shut in reverence, representing the cloud of unity overpowers everything on campus, whether it be the bustling of traffic in the packed parking lot or the literal clouds encompassing the sky.

By 8:30, golden light materializes from the fading clouds in response to the positive energy radiating from the vicinity.

“I want to show the world that I love him no matter what happens. You can`t be afraid to show yourself to others,” Hicks says as See You at the Pole comes to a resounding conclusion. “We will always praise You, rain or shine.”