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A high school free throw shot is 15 feet in length. When a student athlete makes the basket, anything from bragging rights to a championship could be on the line. For senior Allan Guei it was a cool $40,000 in college scholarships.
But it’s what he did after making the shot that has everyone talking.
In March of 2011, Allan Guei, a senior at Compton High School (Los Angeles), had the opportunity to participate in a free throw contest offering a top prize of $40,000 in college scholarships. Guei, whose parents immigrated to America from the small African country of Ivory Coast, joined the other student athletes who qualified for the event by having a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
In his home gym at Compton High, Guei won the competition by one basket over his seven competitors.
However, in the weeks following the March competition, Guei learned that he’d also won a full-ride basketball scholarship to California State University (Northridge). Under NCAA rules, Guei was permitted to accept the scholarship and the cash he’d won in the competition. It seemed everything was going his way.
But the seven runners-up weighed heavily on Guei’s mind and heart. He knew they had dreams – just like he did. And he knew they had needs – just like he did. So, Guei asked Principal Jesse Jones to make a surprising announcement at Compton High School’s graduation ceremony: the $40,000 prize would be split up amongst the other seven students.
Those seven athletes were shocked…and grateful.
In an interview with ESPN, Guei said, “I was already well taken care of to go to school, to go to university for free. I felt like they needed it more than I did. I’ve already been blessed so much and I know we’re living with a bad economy, so I know this money can really help my classmates. It was the right decision.”
Sharing with others in need is not just the “right decision.” It’s also a biblical command. One day on the banks of the Jordan River, John the Baptist was asked by a crowd of people what they should do in response to God’s Word. His response was simple – and challenging:
Whoever has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same. (Luke 3:11)
The young man who had two scholarships shared with those who had none.
Click here for the online report.
Topics Illustrated Include:
Basketball
College
Compassion
Generosity
Giving
Help
Sharing
Sports
Student
Teens
(Resource cataloged by David R Smith)
