Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Beaver Local High School

  • 03/01/17

Project Snapshot

PROJECT: Dant Clayton and NJPA Elevate the Fan Experience at Beaver Local High School
INSTITUTION: Beaver Local High School
LOCATION: East Liverpool, Ohio
COMPANY NAME: National Joint Powers Alliance
WEBSITE: www.www.njpacoop.org

Beaver Local High School

Aesthetic features and handicap accessibility were two benefits Beaver Local Schools were able to enjoy when working with Dant Clayton and NJPA. The district updating the bleachers to make them code complaint ensured that students of every ability would be able to enjoy football games. Dant Clayton and NJPA were able to help make this a reality on a tight deadline, without delaying the season.

THE CHALLENGE

In Ohio, Friday nights are made for high school football. When the current bleachers at Beaver Local High School, located in East Liverpool, Ohio, were deemed non-code compliant in mid-May 2015, due to the absence of ADA-approved seating and general deterioration, things looked glum for the Beavers. The team’s first home game was scheduled for Sept. 11, giving the school less than four months to come up with a seating solution. Because of the time needed for a traditional bid, it looked like the team would be unable to use its home field for the bulk of the season, and instead, rent space elsewhere for football games.

THE SOLUTION

It was through discovery talks with a Dant Clayton sales rep that treasurer/CFO of Beaver Local Schools, Stacy Williams, realized there was a viable option to not only meet the deadline, but also have the ability to purchase from a reputable company. A current member of National Joint Powers Alliance® (NJPA), but with no prior purchases, the school board was quick to agree with the procurement method as it was deemed to satisfy competitive process requirements, and thus placed an order for a 1,500-seat home side with a press box, and a nearly 900-seat visitor side. Each offered many safety and aesthetic features, such as slip-resistant decking, handicap forward seating and powder-coasted risers with closure panels.

IMPACT ON LEARNING

Beaver Local High SchoolIt is safe to say that the community is very pleased with the new venue, but perhaps none are as appreciative of the newly designed bleachers as one particular young man: a former Beaver Local High School football player who was paralyzed in a car accident his senior year.

“The elevated handicap-accessible bleachers were a real game-changer for our former student,” Williams says. “For the first time, he was able to watch the game from the front row without any obstructions thanks to the raised bleacher design. It was a wonderful game!”

Creating a solution for Beaver Local High School was about more than adhering to building codes and meeting a tight schedule; it was about finding a way to give all fans the full experience of the game.

NJPA members have access to Dant Clayton’s event seating solutions through contract 100814-DCT. Learn more: http://njpa.co/DantClayton.

Editor’s Review

Beaver Local High SchoolThe International Code Council (Document ICC 300-2007) 501.2 Inspection states: “All existing tiered seating SHALL be inspected and evaluated at least once a year by a qualified person for compliance with the provisions of this chapter….” Hazardous incidents on bleachers can be caused by older designs, incorrect manufacturing, incorrect installation or lack of routine maintenance. Fortunately, Beaver Local High School administrators were able to not only find a safe and reasonably priced replacement for their antiquated seating in a timely manner, but also did so in a way that allows for greater accessibility for spectators.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey

    Spaces4Learning recently launched the 2026 Facilities and Construction Brief Survey, which collects data on the previous year’s K–12 and higher education construction projects nationwide.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.