BEREA, Ohio – This week, the Cleveland Browns broke ground on two new field surfaces that will be installed at Richmond Heights High School and Charles F. Brush High School. As part of the Browns commitment to education as well as youth and high school football, the organization will begin installing ForeverLawn high-quality synthetic turf in association with Ohio CAT at both schools this spring.
The projects mark the 18th and 19th field surfaces provided to Ohio schools and communities by the Browns, courtesy of the Haslam and Johnson families as well as Browns Give Back, since the team's long-term field initiative launched ten years ago in May 2016. The field surfaces will be the first in support of the Richmond Heights and South Euclid-Lyndhurst City School Districts.
"With the groundbreaking of our 18th and 19th field projects, the Browns are proud to continue investing in the future of Northeast Ohio's communities and student-athletes," said Cleveland Browns Vice President of Community Impact and Foundation, Renee Harvey. "These fields will not only provide opportunities for student-athletes to develop and grow but also create spaces for all to learn and play."
A primary focus of the Browns' field projects is to offer youth educational tools through "outdoor classrooms," which offer opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that support attendance, school engagement and overall personal growth. The construction of both projects is expected to be completed by the start of the Fall 2026 sports season.
"This is about far more than a field. It is about investing in students, creating opportunities and giving our school community a space that will serve as a source of pride for years to come," said Richmond Heights Local Schools Superintendent Dr. Marnisha Brown. "We are incredibly grateful to the Cleveland Browns, the Haslam and Johnson families, Browns Give Back and their partners for believing in our students and choosing Richmond Heights as part of this transformational initiative. This field will support athletics, school engagement and community connection for generations of Spartans."
Richmond Heights School District and South Euclid-Lyndhurst City School District are partners of the Browns' Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, committed to improving school attendance. Student engagement is a driver of student attendance, and through the installation of the new turf fields at Richmond Heights and Brush High School, the districts aim to create engagement opportunities to help students get excited to attend school every day.
"We are deeply grateful for this generous donation and our continued partnership with the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back," said Dr. Dominick Kaple, Superintendent of South Euclid-Lyndhurst City School District. "The installation of a new synthetic turf at Korb Field will support the health and safety of student-athletes for many years to come."
Through the field projects, the Browns are also focused on creating greater access to quality playing surfaces and opportunities to grow the game of football across Northeast Ohio. Richmond Heights and Brush High School are both part of the Browns Girls High School Flag Football program which aims to provide access and opportunities for high school female student-athletes to compete in and experience the fastest growing sport, flag football. Brush High School also participates in the Browns Flag In-Schools program, which introduces students to the game through physical education curriculum and school-based engagement opportunities.
ForeverLawn, the Official Synthetic Turf Partner of the Cleveland Browns, is a premium synthetic turf provider based out of Louisville, Ohio. It will provide high-performance synthetic turf from its SportsGrass line of products for the field projects in association with Ohio Cat, the Official Construction Equipment Partner of the Cleveland Browns, as well as future sites selected by Browns Give Back.
All of the new fields created through the program are lined for multiple sports, including but not limited to football and soccer, and serve as a resource to further engage athletes and students in their respective districts and programs. Given the stability of the surface and less maintenance needed compared to natural grass, the fields are also more readily available year-round to youth and community groups.
The Cleveland Browns hosted a formal groundbreaking ceremony at Richmond Heights High School on Monday, May 18th with the 2026 Browns rookie class. On Wednesday, May 20th at Brush High School, the Browns celebrated the official start of the project with a groundbreaking ceremony with Browns LB Carson Schwesinger.
Haslam and Johnson families and Browns Give Back field project summary:
- Roye Kidd Field - JFK High School (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
- James F. Rhodes Field - James Rhodes High School (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
- Bump Taylor Field - Glenville High Schol (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2016)
- John Adams Field - John Adams High School (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2017)
- John Marshall Field - John Marshall High School (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2017)
- Spartan Stadium - Roy C. Start High School (Toledo Public Schools, 2018)
- George Daniel Field - Lorain High School (Lorain City Schools, 2018)
- Haslam Field - Boys Hope Girls Hope of Northeast Ohio (Garfield Heights, 2019)
- Joseph Yost Field - Ellet High School (Akron Public Schools, 2019)
- Shaw Stadium - Shaw High School (East Cleveland City School District, 2021)
- Wentz Financial Field - Archbishop Hoban High School (2021)
- Griffin Stadium - Buchtel High School (Akron Public Schools, 2022)
- Vitamix Field at Charles Harding Memorial Stadium (Olmsted Falls City Schools, 2022)
- Lou Groza Field – Berea High School (Berea City School District, 2023)
- Garfield Heights High School (Garfield Heights City Schools, 2024)
- Brooklyn High School (Brooklyn City School District, 2025)
- Collinwood Athletic Complex (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, 2025)
- Richmond Heights High School (Richmond Heights School District, 2026)*
- Charles F. Brush High School (South Euclid-Lyndhurst City School District, 2026)*
About Browns Give Back:
The Cleveland Browns focus on advancing education, youth football and equitable opportunities across Northeast Ohio and beyond. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback and follow @BrownsGiveBack.
About Stay in the Game! Attendance Network:
Launched in 2019 by the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Harvard's Proving Ground, the SITG! Attendance Network, now managed by Battelle, works together to reduce chronic absenteeism by bringing together experts, partners, and communities. Together, Stay in the Game! partners with 220+ districts and impacts more than 600,000 students throughout Ohio. For more information, visit https://stayinthegame.org/.
About ForeverLawn:
ForeverLawn® improves spaces and communities through innovative synthetic grass solutions. Beginning in 2004 as the daring entrepreneurial venture of two brothers, ForeverLawn has consistently led the synthetic turf industry through groundbreaking approaches to products and practice. As the premium choice for synthetic surfacing, each product is engineered to solve unique consumer needs and desires while maintaining superior standards and natural aesthetics. Today the company services over 90 localized markets through their dealer network with an impressive regional, national and international project portfolio. To learn more about the ForeverLawn family of products and how to be a person of impact through business ownership opportunities, visit foreverlawn.com.
About Ohio Machinery Co.:
Ohio Machinery Co., dba Ohio Cat, is an authorized Caterpillar® dealer operating from 16 locations throughout Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana. The company's Equipment & Power Systems Division includes Ohio Cat, Ohio Cat Rentals, and SITECH Ohio. For more than 80 years, Ohio Cat has provided sales, parts, and service solutions supporting customers' equipment and power system needs. Ohio Cat Rentals specializes in Cat® and non-Cat equipment rentals, along with trench shoring and pump solutions. SITECH Ohio is part of a global distribution network delivering comprehensive Cat® and Trimble construction technology solutions. To learn more about Ohio Machinery Co.'s entire family of brands, visit www.ohiomachinery.com.
