The Original story
It started with one question:
“Why can’t we?”
A student wanted to experience the same fullness of faith at school that they experienced elsewhere.
So a small group began gathering before school.
when it started
today
Not because of a campaign.
Not because anyone was required to come.
Students encouraged other students.
Today, that simple gathering is a reminder of what can happen when students are given a place to connect, encourage one another, and pray.
Your school can start with one student too
Mr. Peterson’s room
Initially, we had a consistent attendance of 8–10 students each morning. Over time, through word of mouth, our numbers have grown to over 40 some mornings.Scott PetersonTeacher · South Dakota
How it works
Four simple steps.
Gauge interest
Connect with students, teachers, pastors, and youth leaders to find classmates who want to pray. SchoolPrayer is always voluntary.
Work with your school
Review your district’s policies and meet with the administration to request a 15-minute slot, usually before school.
Gather & pray
Meet consistently as a community group or school club, then register to receive your SchoolPrayer certificate.
Share & celebrate
Share prayer requests with your group, pray for each other, and celebrate the ways God answers prayers and works in your lives.
Impact of prayer
Know your rights
Prayer in public schools is legal.
It always has been.
Students have a right to voluntarily pray together at public school during appropriate non-instructional time. We help students, families, and schools understand how to do it responsibly.
Fifteen minutes · every school day
Be the champion
your schools needs.
Every new school starts with one person who answers the call. Champions get the playbook, the training, and SchoolPrayer’s full support, including First Amendment guidance and a background check we pay for.
In their own words
Student testimonies
“I have learned that I am not alone.”
Jaylin
Read Jaylin’s testimony
Every morning me and my friends go to Mr. Peterson’s room to start our day off the right way. When I walk in there, I know it’s going to be a good day. We start off with writing prayer requests on a piece of paper, then we put it into what we call our prayer box. Then, at 7:40 Mr. Peterson closes the door and shares an encouraging word from the Lord. Lastly, we pray over the box and over ourselves. After I leave the room, I feel an ultimate peace over me, and I know it’s from the Lord. I used to have a lot of anxiety and feeling lonely and depressed in school, but after we started meeting in the morning I have learned that I am not alone.
“This group has allowed my days to be so much brighter.”
Josiah
Read Josiah’s testimony
Mornings are really hard for me. It means a lot to me that one of our teachers would care enough about us to make sure we start our day on the right foot. Prayer has been a solid foundation for me and I have always tried to start my day with prayer, but with this group, I have the ability to do it every day. This group has allowed my days to be so much brighter. My confidence and faith in the Lord are at their peak.
“The morning prayer we hold at school has been the highlight of many days for me.”
Cate
Read Cate’s testimony
The morning prayer we hold at school has been the highlight of many days for me. It is great to start the day praying with others that have the same intentions to glorify God. It also is a way we can have others pray for us and gather together to pray for strength to minister to others in our school.
“It has helped me so much with my anxiety and the stresses of school.”
Shay
Read Shay’s testimony
Why is starting off your day with prayer so beneficial? It’s because you’re starting the day off talking to your Father. It has helped me so much with my anxiety and the stresses of school. I’ve seen such an improvement in my attitude as well. I know God is working on the prayers we place in the prayer box and I have peace knowing they will come to pass in His perfect timing. I highly recommend starting your day off speaking to the Lord.
The road ahead
Where this is going
These are the milestones the founders have set. Not projections, but the destination they believe God is calling this movement toward, planned carefully and built to last.
- 2022
A student’s question becomes a morning
SchoolPrayer begins in Lemmon with 8–10 students, after the school’s attorney confirms it stands on solid legal ground.
- Today
Two teams, four years of mornings
Daily in Lemmon, twice a week in Hettinger. Over 30 students some mornings, and a model proven to travel.
- Next 18 months
25 active teams, each with a named champion
New teams launched from a written playbook, so a motivated teacher in another town can start on a Monday morning.
- 2029
250 schools across the country
The same playbook, carried coast to coast, with a prayer team and a named champion in every school.
Give · Partner with SchoolPrayer
Keep the mornings going. Become a financial partner.
Your gift is a cherished investment. It benefits students’ lives and spreads the word that prayer in public schools is legal.
$20/mo
Keeps a group supplied: prayer cards, materials, and the little things that make mornings warm.
Most common
$40/mo
Helps fund a champion’s background check and certificate: the safeguards that protect our students.
$100/mo
Carries the morning to a new town: outreach, training, and launch support for the next school group.
One-time or monthly. SchoolPrayer, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), so every gift is tax-deductible.
