The Influentials: Braylon Edwards

Wide receiver, Cleveland Browns

What would you do with $1 million? Would your first thought be Cleveland schoolchildren? Sure, Braylon Edwards is in the middle of a five-year, $40 million contract with the Browns. He’s got some cash. But he didn’t have to pledge any of it to 100 eighth-graders in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and he did. And then he met them all at an assembly. And posed for individual pictures with each of them. As long as they maintain a 2.5 grade-point average and do 15 hours of community service per year, they’ll each get a $10,000 college scholarship. In a city where too many children have too few positive influences, a young athlete is bringing hope to 100 Cleveland families. It’s an example to be followed.