THRAPSTON, England – As Browns alumni Gary Barnidge ran down an aisle surrounded by students in the gymnasium at Thrapston Primary School, students waived rally towels over their heads and screamed in cheers.
For Barnidge, the students' energy and excitement reminded him of the atmosphere at Browns.
"Today is special because I get to give back to the kids," Barnidge said. "It's all teaching them to stay in the game, about attendance and how important it is to stay in school and how school is such an important part in kids' lives. And just being able to give back and enjoy time with them and see the smile on their faces."
Browns Stay in the Game! Attendance Network visited Thrapston Primary School to celebrate their attendance as a school, as the Browns take on the Vikings in Week 5 in London.
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 to reduce chronic absenteeism. SITG! Attendance Network partners with the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati to support attendance efforts throughout the state of Ohio. Together, the three teams partner with 218 schools and impact more than 580,000 students.
However, their efforts to promote improved attendance traveled across the ocean in Week 5. They hosted a "Browns Spirit Day" with a pep rally that featured a "Touchdown Dance" competition, where students stood in front of the assembly and demonstrated their versions of touchdown players by Browns players.
SITG! made a few surprises during the visit, the first to Ruby, who was named the Kickoff Kid for Week 5 against the Vikings. Ruby will retrieve the kicking tee from the field when the Browns play the Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
They also surprised principal Pauline Turner and teacher Kevin Smith each with tickets to the Browns' matchup against the Vikings, and Smith with an invitation to attend practice on Friday. Originally from Findlay, Ohio, Smith has been a Browns fan throughout his life.
"I'm a massive Cleveland Browns fan and it's just the most amazing opportunity for me and for the children and it's been a brilliant," Smith said. "The more you go to school, the more opportunities you have in life and show your commitment. Children make friends at school. They learn some values at school. So, it's a massive deal and we want to do everything we can to try and get the children into school, doing well at school and giving themselves the best life opportunities that they can possibly have."
After the school assembly, 40 students who were identified for their attendance participated in football activities and stations. Smith said they had previously started a club and had students interested in learning flag football; but through the school visit and football activities, he believes many more students at Thrapston not only are interested in football, but also the Cleveland Browns.
Barnidge believes through the efforts of the NFL and teams like the Browns, they are spreading awareness of the game of football. And through visits such as the one at Thrapston Primary School, the Browns not only introduced football, but also reiterated the importance of school attendance.
"It's spreading awareness," Barnidge said. "It's going to bring the sport and make it bigger and give these kids an opportunity to play another sport that they may not have known that they want to play or had the opportunity to play before. Now they get that opportunity."
