HS Grad Wins $40K in Free-Throw Contest, Gives it All Away!
- Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:08am by
Mike Opelka
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Allan Guei is a fine example of what CAN happen. The son of Ivory Coast immigrants and a recent grad of Compton High School in California is headed to college on a full scholarship thanks to his basketball skills. And it is also because of those same skills that seven other young men and women will benefit.
First, a little backstory.
Advertising executive Court Crandall wanted to reward the good kids at Compton High School, so he created a competition called “Compton Free Throw.” The concept is simple: any Compton senior with a 3.0 GPA can compete to win a college scholarship in a free throw shooting contest. Mr. Crandall’s project caught fire and he managed to raise $75,000, enough money to provide the $40,000 grand prize and allow him to pay for one year of college for each of the seven students who also made it to the finals.
The eventual winner of the contest, Allan Guei was a star on the school’s basketball team and qualified to participate. Eighty Compton students entered the competition and just eight were randomly selected. Mr. Guei made it to the finals and edged out the runner-up by hitting 5 of the 10 shots. The $40,000 check seen above was all his. … Until Allan Guei had a great idea.
In May, Allan announced that he was accepting a full scholarship to play basketball at Cal State Northridge. While NCAA rules would have allowed him to keep almost every penny of the $40,000 and use them for his college expenses, Mr. Guei has decided to give back to his community and has donated all of the money to the seven runners-up.
In a story from the LA Times, Allan Guei explained his reasoning;
“They were all smart and wanted to pursue their dreams, but were having financial difficulties,” Guei said after basketball practice recently. “I felt it was the right move to help the others, especially when everything else was taking off for me.”
The young man from tough streets of Compton, CA has set a great example after he winning $40,000 in a free throw shooting contest at his former high school. Well done, Allan Guei. Well done. Kudos are also due to WDCW’s marketing whiz, Court Crandall, for his vision and persistence in making his dream a reality.
If you are curious about Mr. Guei’s skills on the basketball court, we found a YouTube clip that appears to show that the young man has “skills.”
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Comments (71)
coastalady
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:38amRefreshing news, very refreshing. With kids like this, there may be hope yet for our country! :)
Report Post »JimmyT
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:09amWith some of the comments dissing this kid, at least it confirms that liberals are reading this blog.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:54amReally clasy young man, I wish him well in his entire life. Seven others will be given an opportunity to have the American dream, just as he does. Goodness is it’s own reward, but I wish him the choisest blessings in his entire life. Also to his parents I wish blessings for raising a young man who’s selfless and good. Good job all around!
Report Post »mlakester
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:32amSo awesome! It’s so good to see all hope in the youth is not lost. The best way to become successful in life is to spend the money God gives you in a way that God would. This kid is well on his way. I wish him all the best luck in his future…what an amazing guy…and from Compton! I’m so impressed.
Report Post »Mr. Oshawott
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:16amAllen Guei has really made a huge positive impact donating his entire $40,000 to his partners so that they‘ll be able to enjoy the opportunities that he’ll be experiencing. To the Blazers that attacked him for being charitable, SHAME ON YOU!
Report Post »jrooster13
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:06amAhhh i am constantly amazed at how many bitter and wicked minded morons are out there. And how many of them raise their ugly little heads in the blaze’s comment section.
This kid did a good and generous thing for others. Now whereas you knuckle dragging morons may call his actions ‘socialist’, ‘stupid’, ‘misguided’ or supportive of ‘lazy puke friends’, It was actually an act of generous charity and i applaud him. This kind of act today is lamentably rare.
Report Post »It is a pity so many of you are so locked into your small bitter world of partisan political hatred that it is the only lens you use to view your world. How sad. I remember listening on the radio about a poll that stated how conservatives were so much more generous and charitable than liberals. Now i am not stupid enough to go believing idiotic polls such as that and comments like the ones i have read here only serve to prove what a load of hogwash that poll was. People are people, irrespective of world view some are generous and charitable and some are small minded bitter little creatures who snarl and bite at what they see as an ugly world that reflects their own bad attitude and partisan hatred. In my opinion people of the latter group, be they conservative, liberal, whatever.. are lost and i honestly feel sorry for you.
cogito ergo sum
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:15amOne of the best post I have read on this website in a very long time. Kudos to you sir or madam…
Cogito Ergo Sum
Report Post »cogito ergo sum
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:16amMy previous comment was a response to jrooster13′s comment on the first page.
Report Post »nlpeabody
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 12:31pmThe negative comments you are reading are from progressive, liberals or gay trolls. They come on here to try to make us look bad and apparently they succeed with some of you. Ignore their comments. Evil thrives on negativity.
Report Post »Fuul Aluuf
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 3:32pmLet me get this straight… You are too smart to believe a scientific poll of thousands of people over a few random, trolled postings on an articles comment page? Wow, thanks for helping me out on that… for a minute there I was thinking that science was important again now that W and his anti-science administration was replaced by O. Its good to hear a liberal/progressive admit that its ok to abandon science when it doesn’t fit the needs of an ideology.. Now I can relax again knowing that you are just as unprincipled as most Republicans.
On a more serious note… It sounds like a few folks here didn’t read the article carefully. Its a scholarship, which comes with restrictions… And with different tax rules. He’s got a full ride already and probably thinks he will make it to the NBA… Like most young men who haven’t learned lifes lessons yet. Still… There is absolutely nothing socialistic or big governmenty about an individual deciding to spread his own wealth around. If we limited government proponents have our way, we are COUNTING on individuals being charitable to make up some of the difference, so his should be praised… What’s the worst that could happen to him? He has no family or other obligations yet… Let him have this experience and deal with whatever the consequences are.. No harm/no foul.
Now its another matter to let stupid progressives and liberals continue to confuse government-mandated-by-force-of-the-gun charity and individual charity…
Report Post »Buck Bagaw
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:49amThis kid is a class act. Some of you are not!
Report Post »dizzyinthedark
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:45amYep, this kid did what he wanted to do with HIS money. What goes around comes around.
Reminds me of my son who won big in Vegas and when he got home received word a Special Forces friend died in battle leaving behind two children. My son did what he wanted to do with HIS winnings also! The right thing!!
Report Post »hillbillyinny
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:45amMr. Guei: You are a fine example of a true United States Citizen! Hard working at both school and sports, recipient of a fully paid scholarship, and generous to others with your bounty. Thank you for making such an excellent example for so many in this comment section who are greedy, short-sighted and crass.
May you be successful in all you do!
Report Post »romadave
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:34amHey HeavyDuty, learn to read. The story says the kid got a full ride to play basketball at an NCAA school. It was because his expenses were taken care of that he decided to help 7 other kids with theirs. Where do you get off saying this kid will be ‘want the taxpayer to pay for it’?!?!
I think there are too many trolls on this comment page. This kid recognized that his college dream was already going to come true and he brought 7 others along with him. And these 7 others aren‘t ’lazy pukes…’ They were runners up in the contest. That means they had to have above a 3.0 grade average to enter. So these were good students who are now also able to go on to college.
Wish them well! Stop hating!
Report Post »David ‘straight out of’ Compton
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:53am@ROMADAVE
Report Post »Well said.
This kid shows true compassion and character that we all would want to see in other people. I don’t know why people in this forum are trashing this kid for what he did. It’s HIS money. These people on this forum are always complaining about the government telling them what to do with their own money, so it would seem that it makes THEM hypocrites.
IMO, I think what this kid did was an unselfish act of love and I wish more people were like that.
Fist2Cuffs
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 1:48pmyou nailed it on the head. I was astounded as I read these disgusting comments.
Report Post »shogg
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 3:39pmHey ROMADAVE,
Report Post »You shouldn’t be surprised, thinking, and even more so critical thinking before you blast is a thing of the past.
RRFlyer
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:26amI can’t believe how selfish some of You People are.
Report Post »piper60
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:08amThis is a great example of paying it forward.
Report Post »Eddie
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 1:24pmExactly my sentiments. I can’t believe the negative comments on this site all of a sudden. It‘s so refreshing to see a kid that doesn’t think about spending on himself and to hell with everyone else. I congratulate this young man.
Report Post »KansasPatriot
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:06amWhy do people always try tear down a young person does he something so unselfish. These are the times when they need a firm handshake of gratitude for good deeds done. This young man has show he has something a lot of people lack, character….
Report Post »Cindy in CA
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 3:34pmI agree with you. Here is a young man that has character and wants to help others and he gets criticize for it. Allan, follow your heart and you will go far. As MLK said “Judge a man by his character.”
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:03amAll those criticizing this kid, calling him a dope or moron, or taking the opportunity to make pointless jabs at how l;iberalism will screw him later, need to get their heads out of their a**. To the cynic all things are dark. There will be no cynics in heaven. If you aren‘t willing to see and applaud goodness you won’t be recognized.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:03amNow that’s not smart at all. You get enough money to pay for your tuition for a year or two and give it away. Then want the tax payers to pay for it. When he could have used that money to get a better education and earned more money to give away. While I do applaud him and his generosity. He should have stopped and thought about it some.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:49amA demonstration of truest generocity indeed. It is such that keeps the hope alive in the nation that the future is still ours to make happen. http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:48amI know what some Blaze readers priority’s are, money money money.
Report Post »meeester
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:02amyes, greedy grredy people….like the people who want whatever comes to them so they can buy their own housing, transortation, insurance, help their kids and family etc etc.
Report Post »I think Calvin Coolidge said “one of America’s unsung hereos is the person who lives within their means”.
While I like his extension of the goodwill that came his way I sure don’t have a problem with people recognizing the value of money either.
Greed’s honest victories are quite reasonable.
Dustyluv
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:47amI wonder how he is gonna feel when he has to actually work for that monsy and it is TAKEN away from him to redistribute. He might not like his lazy puke friends so much then.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:50amHow do you know his friends are lazy pukes?
Report Post »mac410
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:40amGave it away to friends? Wait till he finds out Obama wants the income tax on it and he now owes The Messiah about $20,000.
Charity would be deductible, friends aren’t.
Report Post »joe conservative
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:30amAccording to a liberal, charity only happens when the government steps in. Conservatives know better than that. Nice job kid! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn__rVWG65A
Report Post »Collapsitalism
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 3:28pmAs critical of weak-@ss liberals as I am, I don’t think that anyone actually believes that charity only exists when the government does it. Your arguments will be much stronger when you cut out the hyperbolic straw men. I’m pretty sure that libs believe in personal charity, and NGO’s are not government organizations. Programs like SNAP help working class people stay or get back on their feet during rough times. Aside from SNAP, ss, Medicaid and TANF, what does the government do to help people? And since those are taxpayer-funded projects, I don’t think the government has helped anyone do anything. Ever.
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:29amWhat a great kid! I’m sure he will go far in life with his generous attitude. Let’s hope the other 7 kids continue to show generosity and gratitude and do well with their part of the scholarship as well. God bless Mr. Crandall for setting this all up in the first place!
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:20amWhen you win a prize, a trophy, a windfall of cash–if won honestly; it’s yours. Sure, you can give it away. It’s his call but I know what mine would have been.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:17amWhat a dope this kid is. Clearly we will all be paying to support this moron someday.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
jobe
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:20pmkid is not a dope, he did what Jesus would want him to do. This kid had a bright future. God bless. Him
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 7:21amI guess thinking of other people in this day and age is a valid reason for calling a boy, no a man, who is generous enough to share his good fortune with less advantaged people a “moron we will all be supporting on day”. I kinda think it is near-sighted people like you, IRONMAAN, who will be the MORON(S) WE WILL HAVE TO SUPPORT ONE DAY!!! My advice to you is GET A LIFE, AND LEARN HOW TO SPELL!
Report Post »Fabienne
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:17amMr Allan Guei, thank you for your generosity! You’ll be rewarded!
Report Post »fns
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 2:28pmReward will be in the form of an IRS audit asking for their “fair share” of the $40K?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:12am.
Report Post »Compton High School in California, kid did not learn a damn thing!! Someone should Bulldoze that place and arrest all the teachers……
nuttyvet
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 8:52amWow… Strong feelings hus Spider? On another note, that kid years beyond his classmates in maturity. It’ll come back to hime in way he may not realize just yet!
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:07amWhile on one hand college is full of liberal nuts, there is still many career choices were college degree is needed (doctors, etc)…. Why would someone throw away a chance to better himself? If he became a doctor for example he could have given alot more back to society.
Report Post »SacredHonor1776
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:13amAhh I missed the part were it said he also has a full scholarship. Then giving away the extra to help others was quite generous and charitable. The kid has a good heart.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:27amVery classy move. Good role model for individuals who would have taken the money and bought themselves a bunch of stuff.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:44amWhen your family has gotten here on the taxpayers dime and they are living high on the hog from the drug money snuck in. He’s got everything for free, money has no value to him.
Report Post »Just in a pissy mood today.
dudeincali
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 6:22pmYou are ignorant. My parents were missionaries for 20 years in Africa and the young man shows that he has a great heart to share with others. That attitude of the winner to share comes from his parents, Africans are different from people in the United States, they work hard, share and love this country. They understand how good they have it here. You must be a liberal mole, trying to make this site look bad. Go back to your basement and read your Huffington Post orders from Soros, you liberal smuck.
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