BEREA, Ohio — On Tuesday, the gymnasium at Grindstone Elementary School was packed with students who got to hear from Browns defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II, who was there to help instill the importance of attendance and education. For the students who have shown that dedication, they spent the afternoon in a special "Gym Class Takeover" with Hurst.
The event was organized by the Browns' Stay in the Game! Attendance Network and saw the group of students at the top of their school for good or improved attendance line up for their custom T-shirts with Hurst's number on the back before participating in a football drill cycle.
Kids got to go one-on-one in flag football drills, catch passes from Hurst, and run through footwork drills and throwing stations. Some stations offered extra prizes for the kids to take home with them. After the event, many kids stuck around for some autographs as well.
Hurst, who left Sunday's game against the Jaguars with a pectoral injury, didn't let that stop him from being a part of the day, happy to be a part of the celebration of education for the kids in Berea.
"Today, we got to spend a little bit of time with the kids at the elementary school with the Stay in the Game! initiative and just got to emphasize the importance of staying in class and participating in school," Hurst said. "It's just always energizing to be around kids. They're just full of energy, super happy, super fun and loving and just bring great spirits to everything that they do. So getting to hang out with them, it definitely brightens your day a little bit."
The Stay in the Game! program aims to support children in all things education and attendance, and the hope was that Tuesday's event at Grindstone Elementary School—one of many events the Browns have held at schools this year and beyond—can help continue to encourage that.
"Making sure that we, as adults, we're all wrapping our arms around our students and making sure that they know that we will provide the support that they need so that they can do what their job is, which is to go to school every day and be prepared to learn, make sure they're engaged and ready to do the right things," said Renee Harvey, VP and executive director, Cleveland Browns Foundation.
And while the best part of the kids' day may have been getting to play football with Hurst, for the Browns defensive end, it was the Browns chants from all the little voices in attendance.
"There's nothing that beats it. They have some real energy," Hurst laughed.
