Patchogue-Medford High School hosted a 5k run on Sunday, May 17th.
The 5K started at nine-thirty, the fun run – which was only a mile – started at nine. All participants were expected to arrive around eight forty-five so the race could start smoothly and on time.
Once in the vicinity there were booths set up all over the front of the high school along with food trucks, a stage where important announcements were relied like race times, awards, the pledge, and more.
The event was a profound way for people from the community to connect and come together with athletes of young and old, some small and big all supporting a mutual cause. So, why are people running this and what’s it for?
This was the second consecutive time Pat-Med has hosted the Using Our Voices Mental Health Run. It featured a DJ, raffles, and mental health resources from numerous vendors.
Ms. Blaney, the emcee for the event and a history teacher at Patchogue-Medford High School states, “My favorite part was seeing all the students show up and how happy everyone was.”
All students from Pat-Med were able to register for free, allowing many members from sports teams like track, cheer, and lacrosse to do the run. Many kids from sports teams also volunteered to help out during the run. This included handing out water during checkpoints, making announcements, and cheering on the participants.
Race participant Sarah Bonati from the girls’ track team said, “It was a great opportunity to connect with my peers and meet new people.”
This was also a great opportunity for many younger kids from the PAL programs and unified teams who got to participate in the fun run. The top three finishers for the 5k were Colin Jennings, Felipe Garcia, and Dennis Booth.
The Using Our Voices Run was created by Katy Foreman, the assistant principal of South Ocean Middle School and Meghan Kelly, a teacher at North Babylon High school originally launched by the two of them in 2021. The run was established to promote physical activity as a tool to help students deal with mental health well raising awareness at the same time.
It has now grown into a multi-district student led series. This includes districts like Connetquot, New Hyde Park, North Babylon, and of course our very own community Patchogue-Medford. The run continues to help fund mental health organizations and counseling opportunities for teens and children across Long Island. If you’re ever interested in participating or want to learn more, you can visit their website for more information.
