A group of participants in the 14th Annual Clarke Middle School Owl Flight 5K, hosted by the CMS Parent Teacher Association, stand at the start of the race on Sept. 29. CCHS freshman Zoe Campbell placed first of eighth-grade girls last year and will be participating again this year at the 15th annual CMS Owl Flight 5K on Sept. 28. “I am a runner, and I think it’s fun, but I think others should participate (because) it’s supporting Clarke Middle School,” Campbell said. “It’s supporting our community.” Photo courtesy of Abigail Glass
Clarke Middle School’s Parent Teacher Association will host the 15th annual Owl Flight 5K on Sept. 28 to support PTA efforts.
On Sept. 28 Clarke Middle School’s Parent Teacher Association will hold its 15th annual Owl Flight 5K to fund the CMS PTA throughout the year.
The race starts at 8:30 a.m. at CMS and is free for all CCSD students, with all money made during the 5K funding all of the PTA activities during the school year. Owl Flight Co-Chairs Elizabeth Marston and Jana Harwell are coordinating this year’s 5K along with Classic Race Services and Black Bag Race Services.
“If (participants) register by the deadline they get a T-shirt. And the tees are a part of the approved school uniform, so that’s always been sort of the fun part,” Martson said. “I think that students enjoy both volunteering and participating in the race. A lot of students who belong to different clubs that they’re in help participate.”
“I think that students enjoy both volunteering and participating in the race. A lot of students who belong to different clubs that they’re in help participate.”
— Elizabeth Marston,
Owl Flight Co-Chair
This year’s 5K race is amidst a new course due to the continuous CMS construction and safety concerns. With volunteers and Athens-Clarke County Police officers at each major intersection and the beginning of the race being moved to a back parking lot, Marston believes this year’s race will be safe for all participants.
“(The PTA) had originally thought we could start the race from the official front of the school, but then walking around and (seeing) where we are construction-wise, that felt very not safe.We went to the other side and realized actually (the CMS bus loop) area feels much more, both contained (and safe),” Marston said.
A Facebook post from the Clarke Middle School PTA about the 2023 CMS Owl Flight is shown above. Taking place on Sept. 28, the CMS PTA hoped this annual fundraiser would raise money to fund PTA efforts throughout the school year. “(The) PTA at Clarke Middle are really involved in providing lots of different things, both to students and to the staff at Clark middle, and that’s the importance of this event,” Owl Flight Co-Chair Elizabeth Marston said. “(The Owl Flight) sponsors and the registration and involvement in this event, allows the PTA to fund incentive days for kids. They call them “Just Cause” days because we think kids should have fun days for no reason.” Post fair use of CMS PTA
After the 5K finishes, awards will be given to the top three male and female sixth, seventh and eighth-grade CMS students. Clarke Central High School freshman Zoe Cambell placed first of eighth-grade girls at last year’s race and believes is competing again this year to help fund PTA efforts.
“(The) PTA is there just for support, or making sure that all the students are in a place at home where they can feel comfortable talking to people. That they have everything they need in the school that they wouldn’t have normally at home,” Campbell said.
