CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns star defensive end and reigning Defensive Player of the Year has been busy preparing for the upcoming season through training camp, but on his day off Saturday, Garrett took time to get out in the community and help prepare local families for the upcoming school year.
In his third annual Back-To-School Kickoff, Garrett hosted local families at one of his favorite places in Northeast Ohio—the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
“Gathering of some young, bright minds who enjoy learning but also want to get ready to go back to school. We want to make sure that they have a bright smile on their face and they have everything they need to take their education to the next level," Garrett said.
Garrett, working with Cleveland comedian Ricky Smith's Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere (R.A.K.E) organization, provided backpacks, folders, crayons, pencils, and other school supplies, as well as items such as water bottles, Gatorade, and snacks to kids who attended the event.
The backpacks were stuffed with items by Garrett and Browns defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II, who stopped by to support Garrett.
"Got to help Myles out with his back-to-school program. Super cool event. Got to meet a lot of cool kids and give them supplies for the upcoming school year," Hurst said. "It means everything just to be able to give back to these kids from all different types of backgrounds and communities and help give them the best opportunity to succeed in life."
After the children and their families received the items, they were invited into an auditorium inside CMNH for a Q&A with Garrett. One child asked Garrett if he would have "a lot of sacks this year," to which Garrett smiled and answered, "I have a lot of sacks every year." Some kids asked about his football career, others about his off-field interest and time in school. More pressing questions like his age and when he was going to retire had Garrett feeling a bit old.
"Got asked how old I was. So that was a reality check," Garrett smiled.
The kids also asked him if he had ever done the Griddy, a dance move that went viral online and has become a staple for kids—and some athletes—over the years. Garrett has not and won't break it out for just anything.
"They [asked me] again and I still haven't done the Griddy, man," Garrett laughed. "Maybe if I get that pick six I'm looking for, I'll do a Griddy."
The day was something Garrett hopes might inspire kids to not only get excited about school but to explore things that make them happy, as science and paleontology do for him.
"Them able to see an athlete who may feel like is unreachable or is on a platform, a pedestal, that it seems like he's not real—[I] love to get in front of those kids and show that I'm human just like them and want to be part of the community and part of their lives and show them the kind of things that not only did I do in my free time, but I did as a kid. Going to museums, being fascinated by science and arts and delving into those things and creating those passions at a young age," Garrett said.
With his third successful Back-To-School Kickoff in the books, Garrett hopes to grow the program each year to expand his impact and involvement in the community he loves and calls home.
"Hopefully we can continue to grow this thing and bring more people in. Draw more excitement and really create a positive environment for more and more kids to be excited to learn and go back to school," he said.
