The Seventh Annual Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program Kicks Off with A Search for Twenty of the Nation's Most Inspiring Young Athletes and Leaders

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- It takes a lot to overcome the hurdles of college access for young people today, but thanks to the Foot Locker Foundation, Inc., the charitable arm of Foot Locker, Inc., twenty exceptional student athletes will have more than just the right footwear as they strive to reach their goals. Foot Locker is excited to announce the launch of its 2017-2018 Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program, which will award $20,000 college scholarships to outstanding student athletes who demonstrate strong academic ability and leadership skills in sports, school, and within their communities.

Numerous studies show a correlation between participation in high school athletics and success later in life¹. With its investment in the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program, the Foot Locker Foundation, Inc. is facilitating the success of tomorrow's leaders. Take one of last year's winners, Kendall Kikkawa, as an example:

In addition to being co-captain of his varsity football, basketball and baseball teams, Kendall has also given back to his community as co-founder of Changing the Community Giving Circle, raising $45,000 to support change-makers in the Asian community. He is also a tutor for the Boys and Girls Club, has traveled to Nicaragua to build stoves for underprivileged families and channels his athleticism into his community involvement by organizing a 5K run to raise funds for pediatric cancer patients and the Special Olympics.

"Each year, we are inspired by extraordinary scholar athletes like Kendall, who exemplify the powerful impact of sports in achieving academic success, and more importantly, in making a significant impact as leaders within their communities," states Richard A. Johnson, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Foot Locker, Inc. "The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program recognizes the tremendous potential of these young leaders, many of whom have either overcome significant challenges or may not have the financial means to attend college, which is why it is so important that we are investing in their futures."

For so many high school students, ever-growing tuition costs make going to college seem impossible, but for Foot Locker's Scholar Athletes, a college education is now possible. In addition to each student receiving a $20,000 scholarship, one of the 20 students selected, will be awarded the Ken. C. Hicks Scholarship, and receive an additional $5,000 for demonstrating superior academic achievement, outstanding leadership and a true love of the game. This year's winners will join the program's six previous classes of Foot Locker Scholar Athletes, bringing the total number of scholarship recipients to 140 over the seven years since the program's inception in 2011. As of 2018, Foot Locker Inc. will have invested over $2.5 million in the education and future of some of America's most promising scholar athletes.

The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program is a key initiative of the Foot Locker Foundation, which provides monetary support for educational and sports programs across the country. This program seeks to empower young adults who successfully take the skills they have cultivated in their team locker rooms, and apply them to their classrooms and communities. Supporting this all-star program is Fastweb, a trusted scholarship and financial aid resource used by students to help find opportunities to pay for school.

Students can apply online or be nominated by teachers, coaches, mentors, family and friends by visiting footlockerscholarathletes.com. Applications close on December 15, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Applicants must be college-bound in the Fall of 2018, be an active participant in a sports-related activity, and maintain at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA.  Participants will be required to submit two essays and one recommendation to be considered for the scholarship. 

About Foot Locker Foundation, Inc.:
Foot Locker Foundation, Inc. is the charitable arm of Foot Locker, Inc., a specialty athletic retailer that operates approximately 3,400 stores in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, the Foundation has developed meaningful partnerships and programs to improve and enrich the educational opportunities for children across the country.

About Fastweb
Fastweb, a top site in the Monster Worldwide network, is the nation's recognized leader in helping students pay for school by providing information on scholarships and financial aid, as well as jobs and internships. As the oldest and most popular free online scholarship matching service, one out of three college-bound seniors use Fastweb and more than 50 million users have benefitted from its information and services. Students create personalized profiles to match opportunities in the expansive databases of colleges and scholarships. To learn more about Fastweb, visit www.fastweb.com and follow Fastweb on Twitter (at @PayingForSchool); Facebook; Pinterest; Google+.

About TMI:
TMI Strategy is a consulting group that helps clients drive social change through insights and creative solutions backed by data. Fueled by DoSomething.org's proprietary data from millions of young people involved in hundreds of cause initiatives, TMI uncovers what motivates young people to connect with companies and causes they care about. For more information, visit TMIstrategy.org

SOURCE Foot Locker Foundation, Inc.

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