Indianapolis Colts LB Zaire Franklin spent a portion of his time off ahead of the team's Training Camp at his annual Shelice Angles Business Academy at La Salle College High School in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania.
And this year, he was able to do something extra special for his alma mater and future students.
Thanks to Zaire Franklin '14 who recently announced during the final day of his fourth annual Shelice’s Angels Business Academy at @lschs that he will be starting the Juanita Highsmith Scholarship at his alma mater, named after his late grandmother. #loyalsons @lschsalumni… https://t.co/NjMUGMq5J2 pic.twitter.com/tNri4OVGgR
— La Salle College High School (@lschs) July 7, 2024
Shelice's Angels is Franklin's non-profit organization, which he named after his late mother, Shelice Highsmith. This year's Bussiness Academy will likely be one Franklin remembers for the rest of his life due to him starting the Juanita Highsmith Scholarship to help La Salle College High School students for years to come, named after his late grandmother.
Franklin spoke with The Philadelphia Inquirer last month during the event about why giving back to his alma mater is so important to him.
"[My mother] and my grandmother taught me so much about how to see further than the environment I was in, how to dream big"
"That's all I'm really trying to impart on these kids. These kids come from tough environments, tough places. I'm just here to try and teach them and let them know that they can achieve everything, and I'm gonna do everything I can to give them the tool to do something."
- Colts LB Zaire Franklin to The Philadelphia Inquirer
Franklin has taken the time to give back to the area he grew up in a lot during his NFL career. And this offseason he shared on his social media accounts his desire to begin doing everything he does in Philadelphia in Indianapolis as well in the future.
I'm bringing every event I do in Philly to Indy soon..
What are some organizations/schools I need to be sure to tap in with in Indy?— Zaire Franklin (@ZiggySmalls_) June 22, 2024
The Colts 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee continues to live up to that nomination, and If I had to guess, it won't be his last.
