BouncingCheese
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Wideout shining light on education
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeff&id=2873279
I am not a huge fan of Braylon Edwards, but I just wanted to post this because I am sick of all the negative news about players. Hopefully Braylon can have a decent qb get him the ball more because he can be a superstar in this league, which would help him promote more positive activities for the youth.
There has been so much negative news surrounding the NFL recently it is easy to ignore what Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards did this week.
The man pledged $1 million to fund college scholarships for 100 kids in the Cleveland Municipal School District, formally announcing the plan Wednesday afternoon. Now this certainly doesn't sound as compelling as Pacman Jones' problems or Michael Vick's alleged involvement in dogfighting, but it matters a lot more than either of those issues. This story here is about hope and commitment and, above all else, the difference athletes really can make in a community.
Edwards is certainly not the only athlete with a big heart. Countless NFL players have given selflessly over the years, with Tampa Bay's Derrick Brooks, Atlanta's Warrick Dunn and New Orleans' Reggie Bush coming immediately to mind.
But it is fair to say Edwards' timing couldn't have been better. By digging deep into his bank account, he gave numerous parents something to smile about and lured the spotlight toward one of the really troubling issues in our society: lousy public education.
What makes this program so impressive is that Edwards went the extra mile. Numerous athletes speak to kids at schools, or read to them in classrooms. Edwards, now entering his third year in Cleveland, is investing in these children and their futures.
"I've always wanted to do my part," Edwards said. "And I definitely believe that we're better off when we help the people who really need it. In order to secure a positive future for our country, we have to start with these kids. We have to support them and give them options."
Edwards' latest plan -- he also endowed a $500,000 scholarship at his alma mater, the University of Michigan -- isn't complicated. In December 2006, he picked the 100 recipients after his foundation combed through 1,000 essays submitted by eighth-graders who had been recommended for the program by their teachers. After deciding on the pool of kids, Edwards set the guidelines. Every child involved in the program needs to maintain a 2.5 grade point average throughout high school. They must do 15 hours of community service every year until they graduate. They also can't have any unexcused absences. If they do all this, Edwards will help pay for their college education.
"I went to public schools [in Detroit] and I knew a lot of kids who didn't have what I had," he said. "They didn't have two parents. They didn't have any money. I saw too many kids who had the potential to succeed but they didn't have a reason to believe in anything. Those kids were behind the eight ball before they ever had a chance to grow up."
You can read the rest of the article by clicking on the link...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeff&id=2873279
I am not a huge fan of Braylon Edwards, but I just wanted to post this because I am sick of all the negative news about players. Hopefully Braylon can have a decent qb get him the ball more because he can be a superstar in this league, which would help him promote more positive activities for the youth.
There has been so much negative news surrounding the NFL recently it is easy to ignore what Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards did this week.
The man pledged $1 million to fund college scholarships for 100 kids in the Cleveland Municipal School District, formally announcing the plan Wednesday afternoon. Now this certainly doesn't sound as compelling as Pacman Jones' problems or Michael Vick's alleged involvement in dogfighting, but it matters a lot more than either of those issues. This story here is about hope and commitment and, above all else, the difference athletes really can make in a community.
Edwards is certainly not the only athlete with a big heart. Countless NFL players have given selflessly over the years, with Tampa Bay's Derrick Brooks, Atlanta's Warrick Dunn and New Orleans' Reggie Bush coming immediately to mind.
But it is fair to say Edwards' timing couldn't have been better. By digging deep into his bank account, he gave numerous parents something to smile about and lured the spotlight toward one of the really troubling issues in our society: lousy public education.
What makes this program so impressive is that Edwards went the extra mile. Numerous athletes speak to kids at schools, or read to them in classrooms. Edwards, now entering his third year in Cleveland, is investing in these children and their futures.
"I've always wanted to do my part," Edwards said. "And I definitely believe that we're better off when we help the people who really need it. In order to secure a positive future for our country, we have to start with these kids. We have to support them and give them options."
Edwards' latest plan -- he also endowed a $500,000 scholarship at his alma mater, the University of Michigan -- isn't complicated. In December 2006, he picked the 100 recipients after his foundation combed through 1,000 essays submitted by eighth-graders who had been recommended for the program by their teachers. After deciding on the pool of kids, Edwards set the guidelines. Every child involved in the program needs to maintain a 2.5 grade point average throughout high school. They must do 15 hours of community service every year until they graduate. They also can't have any unexcused absences. If they do all this, Edwards will help pay for their college education.
"I went to public schools [in Detroit] and I knew a lot of kids who didn't have what I had," he said. "They didn't have two parents. They didn't have any money. I saw too many kids who had the potential to succeed but they didn't have a reason to believe in anything. Those kids were behind the eight ball before they ever had a chance to grow up."
You can read the rest of the article by clicking on the link...
