NFL star Richard Sherman kept his promise and now a Richmond teen can go to college for free. Details inside…
Richard Sherman made a promise to a high school student and he kept his word.
Last year, the Seattle Seahawks cornerback told Varina high school student Hershai James that if she pulled her grades up and made the Honor Roll he would fund her college tuition. Well, the real life YBF Teen got her self together and made the Honor Roll as a senior this year, so the NFL star honored his word.
Every year, Richard Sherman comes to Richmond to support his former Seahawks teammate Michael Robinson with his Celebrity Waiter Dinner and Football Camp to benefit the Excel to Excellence Foundation. Michael Robinson, who is a Varina High School graduate, started the foundation in 2010 in an effort to help children who were being left behind in their education, environment and society.
The Stanford University graduate and Hershi met last year and he told her that she was an honor roll student as a senior, he would grant her a personally funded scholarship. When she realized she would be graduating as an honor roll student, she reached out to Sherman’s camp and boom! College funded.
“It goes back to knowledge is power and if you have knowledge you’re going to be as powerful as you ever want to be,” Richard told Richmond.com. “Nobody stops anybody from reading and educating themselves. Mike is only trying to empower these kids to be everything that they can be and if we can help with that with our presence, with our (autographed) jerseys (for an auction), with our words, we’ll do everything we can.”
Hershai said knowing that Richard had offered to help her through college is what motivated her to do her best for her final year of high school.
“When my senior year began, I definitely had the scholarship in my head as motivation,” Hershai said. “With being a senior, the year is really stressful. Having something to look forward to helped. It’s like saying my hard work and dedication had paid off.”
Fabulous job Hershai!
The Varina graduate will be attending Norfolk State University this fall and will study business with hopes of international travel in the future. Good for her.
Nice move Richard!
Photos: Getty/Richmond.com
