Richard Sherman, Barbershop surprise high school student with Seahawks playoff tickets

With the NFC Championship looming, Blue Friday was pretty special this week. And it’ll be a day Highline High School student Max Law won’t ever forget, thanks to Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.

Sherman and his Blanket Coverage Foundation selected Max from over 1,500 students nominated by their teachers to win two tickets to Sunday’s game.

The guys from The Barbershop on 710 ESPN Seattle had the pleasure of surprising Max with the news Friday. He could barely contain his excitement when Gee Scott, T-Holla and Marcus Trufant gave him the news by phone.

“I’m very excited. Of course, I’ll be free for that game,” Max said. “I can’t believe it my heart’s beating so fast.”

To qualify for the tickets, teachers had to write an essay explain how their students had overcome adversity and continue to achieve and inspire.

“It’s not just one thing, it’s who he is as a person,” said his teacher Jasmine Kettler. And he’s overcome a lot of adversity in his life and he never compromises his integrity of who he is, and he’s just there for people that don’t stick up for themselves and it was easy to write about him,” she said.

What she didn’t know is she gets to go to the game with Max. She was absolutely giddy when Trufant let her know Sherman was kicking in two extra tickets.

“That is so cool. That is absolutely amazing. There is no other way I could go to the game,” she gushed.

“We just want to say thank you for teaching our next generation of kids and youth, and what you guys do is amazing, and sometimes you guys don’t get a lot of credit,” Gee told her.

Sherman’s foundation and The Barbershop are also giving her class a pizza party next week, while five other kids get a shout out on the radio and $25 gift cards for merchandise on Sherman’s website.

“Richard and his family place a high value on education and trying to give kids a level playing field,” says Shaun Guerrero, VP with Blanket Coverage, The Richard Sherman Family Foundation.

“We usually provide things like clothes and school supplies to help kids who have potential but need a leg up. But we thought ‘man, sometimes just having someone say ‘I believe in you’ is really powerful.’ That’s why Richard wanted to give away the tickets.”

Here is Kettler’s letter nominating Max:

I met Max Law on the first day of my teaching career. He was caught up in a class of students that were kicked out of other classes due to behavior issues and first-year ELL students who were completely new to the American education system. Max found a way to get along with everyone, without compromising his sense of right and wrong.

Max has a true passion for basketball. He grew up in a less-than-ideal situation and found basketball to be a healthy outlet. He shows respect to those who give him respect in return, is compassionate, and lives by his own set of ideals; with true integrity.

Last year, Max’s father was killed before he could make amends with him. He showed up to school that same week, and never expected any extra attention. He was honest with his feelings, but didn’t let the situation compromise his work ethic, compassion, or integrity. The only thing he asked was for the gym to be opened before school so he could shoot some hoops.

He is not the student who will get a full-ride scholarship for playing basketball. His incredible work ethic just barely earns him a spot on the Varsity team. The only thing he has ever asked is for me to open the gym before and after school. He stands up for what he thinks is right, even if he is the only one doing so. The n-word is commonly used in pickup games around campus, especially by upperclassmen. After a lesson on the history and meaning behind the word, Max stood up, as a freshmen, to seniors using the word. His ability to meet confrontation without anger shows maturity well beyond his years.

I don’t think Max would quite understand why I nominated him for this. He lives his life with no expectations from anyone else. He is, by no means, a perfect student, but he never lets a situation compromise his integrity. I’ve worked with several students, getting them out of difficult home situations and am constantly reminded of the challenges these students are facing. Max has handled the situations presented to him in a manner well beyond his years. I feel lucky to have had the privilege to teach and mentor him and believe he is more than deserving for an opportunity such as this.

Please consider this nomination. Go Hawks!