Number of Participants: 300
Hours Donated: 4
Value of Time Served: $10,140
Event Type: Health & Safety
Activity: Schools
School: Center Moriches High School
Date: March 3, 2025
Location:
Center Moriches High School
Frowein Road, Center Moriches
NY
About:
Last month, Center Moriches High School’s Student Leaders group proudly hosted the first race in their annual “Using Our Voices Mental Health Run Series,” drawing an enthusiastic crowd and surpassing expectations.
The event took place on Saturday, March 16, at Neville Park in Center Moriches, running from 9 to 11 a.m. A special kids’ run for ages 5–10 kicked off the day at 8:45 a.m. This race marked the first of three in a collaborative series with the North Babylon and Connetquot school districts, with upcoming races scheduled for May 11 and May 19 in those communities.
This inspiring initiative is a follow-up to P.S. I Love You Day, a February tradition dedicated to spreading love, reducing bullying, and promoting mental health awareness. The run series furthers those goals by combining movement, community, and conversation around mental wellness.
The Center Moriches School District emphasizes student engagement and inclusivity, encouraging students to take leadership in efforts that promote emotional and physical well-being. This year’s junior race directors—Isabella Rayburn, Destiny Blackwood, Chloe Raupp, Angelina Buttigieg, and Gabby DeAngelis—led the event planning and execution.
“It was so rewarding to see the time we invested pay off,” said Isabella Rayburn, a senior and one of the junior race directors. “Our main goal was to raise mental health awareness and show how physical activity can make a real difference.”
The event exceeded its registration goal, welcoming 330 participants and offering music, food, raffles, vendors, and mental health resource tables. The junior directors were responsible for coordinating vendors and resources, visiting classrooms across all grade levels, and rallying community support.
Assistant principal and head organizer Katy Forman praised the team’s efforts:
“On behalf of myself and Principal Marissa Mangogna, we are incredibly proud of our student leaders and junior race directors. Their dedication, leadership, and passion for making a difference are truly inspiring.”
Congratulations to the entire Center Moriches community for kicking off the 3rd Annual Using Our Voices Mental Health Run Series: Choosing to Include 2025 with such energy and purpose! Special recognition goes to junior race directors Austin Faller, Meghan Harker, Makayla Walsh, and Gabby DeAngelis, unified directors Casey Ennis and Erin Baldock, and MCs Max Rayburn and Elijah Shedrick for making this event a huge success.
