National Football League

Richard Sherman makes good on his promise to fund scholarship

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, Chris Chavez/Sports Illustrated

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman made good on his promise to a Virginia high school student when he promised that he would give her a college scholarship if she raised her grades in school, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Hershai James, a senior at Varina High School, met the Seahawks star at the Celebrity Waiter Dinner and Football Camp, which benefits the Excel to Excellence Foundation. The foundation aims to help students falling behind in their education and society.

Sherman told James that if she became an honor roll student, he would personally fund a scholarship for her college education. She finished the year with a 3.0 GPA.

“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,” Sherman said. “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.”

James will enroll at Norfolk State next fall.