Oviedo High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, or FCA, is one of many clubs across the country that hosts the Flag Around The Pole event each year. Christian students gather around their school’s flag, hand in hand, praying around it. This is typically done on the same day nationwide, but many Florida schools had to delay this event due to Hurricane Ian. 

This event provides Christian students with the opportunity to be united with students who share their beliefs.

“You stand there hand in hand with everyone else who believes and thinks of the same things as you,” FCA member and sophomore Delaney Graves said.

This sense of community and unity is further fueled by the fact that this is a national event. Not only is OHS’ individual FCA club doing this event, but students all across the country, who share these Christian beliefs, are doing it as well. 

“Florida was pushed back a week, but it’s supposed to be, you know, unity all across the country,” FCA key leader and senior, Finn Cash said. “We’re all doing the same thing.” 

Not only does it provide students with a sense of community, it allows them to express and represent their religion on campus. Students’ religious beliefs are often an important part of their identity, that helps express who they are as a person.  

“It’s really important for me to show my faith and also practice what I believe,” Sarah Rojo-Ehrenreich, senior leader, said. 

The Flag Around The Pole event allows Christian students to openly showcase their religious identity. This can help make them feel more comfortable fully expressing who they are, as an athlete, student, and peer.

As students share their religious experiences, they will inevitably meet others who relate. This helps students create a sense of community in other aspects of their lives, outside of FCA, like sports. 

“In my wrestling group, I have a few other Christians who are there and right before matches, we’ll go and pray for each other,” Graves said.

The Flag Around The Pole event is incredibly valuable for FCA members, as it allows them to focus on their religious community and further express their identity as Christians.