Browns rookie offensive lineman Lorenzo Thompson still looks at the message his third-grade teacher signed in his yearbook at the end of the school year.
"'Always believe in yourself,'" Thompson recalled to the students at Brooklyn City Schools at the Browns' third Gym Class Takeover of the 2024 fall semester.
Thompson spoke of the importance of school attendance, emphasizing that his presence at school allowed him to gain valuable mentors from teachers and football coaches on his path to becoming an NFL player.
Before students had the chance to ask Thompson questions about his life as a professional athlete, Thompson presented Brooklyn City Schools with a check for $2,500 on behalf of Stay in the Game! Attendance Network and Meijer to support the district's attendance needs.
Thompson then led a group of second and third graders selected for their commitment to attendance in a series of flag football drills, stopping to take photos and sign autographs for the young fans.
"It's amazing. This is actually my first event really connecting with the community of kids like this around the Cleveland area," Thompson said. "I think it's very important. These guys look up to us, we're role models to them. So, at all times, we've got to make sure our character is in check to make sure we can give them the right message, because these kids want to be like us."
The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
Behind the scenes of the 2024 Team Photo at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 12, 2024.The third Meijer Gym Class Takeover on November 12, 2024 at Brooklyn City Schools.
The Cleveland Browns Foundation is the proud founder of the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, which partners with school districts to create localized, data-informed attendance campaigns in support of strong student attendance. Students who are not chronically absent from school are nine times more likely to graduate high school on time. Stay in the Game! aims to have over 90 percent of Ohio students achieve a 90 percent or better attendance record.
For Brooklyn School assistant principal Marcello DeAngeles, the partnership with the Browns has been helpful in incentivizing and encouraging school attendance.
"We're so thankful, not even just for the students but the teachers love it. They love seeing their kids down here so excited, smiling," DeAngeles said. "Obviously, the Browns have different resources than we have, bringing all that stuff in and bringing players in. So, it just shows the kids that their hard work pays off, so it's great."
In addition to the Stay in the Game! efforts, the Browns Flag In-Schools program is active in 165 elementary schools across Northeast and Central Ohio. The program is dedicated to developing a turn-key flag football implementation model for elementary physical education teachers and their classes, aiming to prioritize flag football as an in-school physical activity to build and maintain a foundation of healthy, lifelong physical activity among students.
Gym Class Takeovers, presented by Meijer, are a key way the Browns are able to engage with students and encourage both school attendance and physical activity. Volunteers from local Meijer stores help run the activity stations at each Gym Class Takeover and Thompson made sure to get in on the fun on his day off.
"These kids brought the energy," Thompson said. "I might have drove over here a little tired, waking up this morning on the off day, but I got rejuvenated right back up. These kids welcomed me in when I walked in the gym. So, they brought the energy all day."
