Photos: From school visits to sports clinics, Brown Bears rally behind Providence kids
Through a series of outreach initiatives, Brown Athletics and the University’s student-athletes forge deeper connections between city residents and the campus community.
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Vartan Gregorian Elementary students were greeted with a rousing welcome from Brown Athletics on their first day of school. Courtesy Brown Athletics.
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Just days later, the Brown football team welcomed local kids to campus for the annual Meet the Bears youth football clinic.
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Earlier in the month, on Saturday, Aug. 16, student-athletes from the Brown football and women’s soccer teams invited local families to campus for a storytime event on Ittleson Quad. Photo by Tanisia Morris/Brown University.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Providence kids are kicking off the new school year with an extra boost of excitement and confidence, thanks to a series of community outreach events led by Brown University student-athletes, coaches and staff this month.
On Thursday, Aug. 28, the Brown football team welcomed more than 150 local kids to Berylson Family Fields for the annual Meet the Bears youth football clinic. Since 2018, the free, family-friendly event has given young athletes the chance to run drills with the team, collect autographs from players, meet Bruno the mascot and enjoy pizza and other treats.
Brown head football coach James Perry said community participation continues to grow every year — and his players benefit just as much as the kids.
“Meet the Bears is an awesome event that has been going on throughout my tenure as head coach here at Brown, and it’s something our players look forward to every year,” Perry said. “As student-athletes, our guys are very much a part of the greater Providence community, and any chance we get to build relationships with local youth players is so important. Many of these kids come out to our games each season and look up to our players, so being able to give back and connect with them is really special.”
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More than 150 Providence-area kids joined Brown’s annual Meet the Bears youth football clinic held on Thursday, Aug. 28 on the Berylson Family Fields. Courtesy Brown Athletics.
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The free, family-friendly event was established in 2018 and continues to grow in local participation each year.
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Participants ran drills with the team, starting with a warmup similar to the one Brown athletes do before each practice.
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Kids rotated through stations to practice drills like blocking and tackling, including chasing a tackle wheel.
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This year, young athletes from local youth football programs — the Lincoln Lions and the Cranston Chiefs — joined in the fun.
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“Many of these kids come out to our games each season and look up to our players, so being able to give back and connect with them is really special,” said Brown head football coach James Perry.
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As part of the event, kids collected autographs from players, met Bruno the mascot and enjoyed pizza.
The excitement didn’t stop there. One day earlier, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, in nearby Fox Point, students at Vartan Gregorian Elementary School were greeted with a rousing first-day welcome from Brown Athletics. More than 70 student-athletes and coaches lined the walkways to the school, forming a spirited parade of cheers, applause and encouragement. As kids made their way inside, they were met with high-fives, fist bumps and words of support from the Brown athletes, setting a joyful tone for the year ahead.
Providence resident Susan Arce, a parent of fifth-grade twins, said as a volunteer in the school, she can see firsthand the joy the event brings.
"I can see their faces brighten as they go down the halls," Arce said. "It definitely makes a huge impact, creating a sense of community and setting an example of kindness and support for our kids. It means a lot to me and the other parents, and it makes the start of the day so much more cheery."
Brown student-athlete Carlo Brown joined his men’s soccer teammates to help restore outdoor spaces at Carbal Park in Providence. Courtesy Brown Athletics.
Ahead of that first day, Brown students also helped get the school community ready for the year ahead. On Thursday, Aug. 21, members of the men’s soccer team joined beautification efforts at the elementary school and nearby Cabral Park as part of an initiative led by Providence City Councilman John Goncalves. Together they rolled up their sleeves to wash and paint surfaces, sand and restore benches, clear litter and refresh outdoor areas for Fox Point students and families.
Local families also joined in the fun at a storytime event held on Brown’s Ittleson Quad earlier this month. The University’s Division of Athletics and Recreation partnered with the Brown University Library to host the gathering, which was part of a summer reading program led by the Providence Public Library and the Community Libraries of Providence. On Saturday, Aug. 16, about 15 families participated in an afternoon of reading books and enjoying lawn games like cornhole, life-sized Connect Four, soccer and football. Kids capped off the day with Bruno-themed coloring pages and a frozen treat from Rhode Island favorite Del’s Lemonade.
Victoria Mealer-Flowers, a senior manager in Brown Athletics, said making a positive impact on local communities delivers on the division’s commitment to community engagement.
“It’s incredibly important for Brown’s student-athletes to engage in the Providence community because College Hill is just a small part of this vibrant, eclectic city,” Mealer-Flowers said. “It’s crucial that they see that, experience that and become part of the city. Investing their time in the community can transform how they see the world around them. Through these experiences, we hope they recognize the value of learning from one another and understand that investing in others is also an investment in yourself.”
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More than 70 Brown student-athletes and coaches lined the walkways to Vartan Gregorian Elementary in Providence, forming a welcoming parade for the first day of school. Courtesy Brown Athletics.
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The K-5 school in the Providence Public School District serves around 300 students.
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As kids made their way through the line, the student-athletes greeted each one with wide smiles, clapping, cheers, encouraging words and outstretched hands ready for high-fives and fist bumps.
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At the Storytime with Bruno event, Brown’s student-athletes read books that highlighted the importance of sports and physical activity including, "The Way Champs Play" by Naomi Osaka and "Ride, Roll, Run: Time For Fun!" by Valerie Bolling. Photos by Tanisia Morris/Brown University.
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Kids, families and student-athletes also enjoyed a frozen treat from Del’s Lemonade as part of the summer event.
Since 2018, Brown University has hosted dozens of interns through PrepareRI, a statewide initiative that helps high schoolers explore careers, build skills and shape Rhode Island’s future workforce.
As senior manager of community partnerships at the Swearer Center, Inoa has expanded educational opportunities for thousands of local kids while strengthening Brown’s ties to the Providence community.
With more partnerships and a new scholarship model, the University’s Pre-College Programs are increasing local turnout, enabling more Rhode Island teens to explore academic pathways and college life.
