Georgia’s Jake Fromm thought he was just going to read some books to kids at Barrow Elementary School on Wednesday morning, as he has often the past three years. And he did. But after reading his second book of the day to a room full of third-graders, Fromm found himself in the midst of a surprise trophy presentation.
Fromm was presented with the Allstate AFCA Good Works Award by local agent Kevin Christian. As a recipient, Fromm becomes one of 22 football players nationwide to be included on the 2019 Allstate Good Works team. Established in 1992, the award recognizes exceptional athletes who make an extra effort to give back to their communities through acts of service.
“It’s a huge honor, a huge blessing, to be able to have the kind of influence that people think I have,” said Fromm, a junior quarterback from Warner Robins. “Hopefully I have an influence for the better and impact lives for the better. It’s just something my parents raised me on, to serve people.”
Georgia’s starting quarterback for the past three seasons, Fromm has also stayed busy with community service. He regularly devotes time to Extra Special People, a Watkinsville-based organization that serves children with developmental disabilities, to Camp Sunshine, a program for children with cancer, and to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
And, of course, reading to kids at Barrow Elementary. Wednesday, he read two books to the third-grade classes of Kadijah Arnold and Caiti Quiza, “High Five,” by Adam Rubin, and “Jabari Jumps,” by Gaia Cornwall.
“I’ve been over here a bunch actually,” Fromm said. “I had a class that came over here. It’s something I want to do, to impact kids’ lives. I love every minute of doing it.”
Fromm also stays pretty busy majoring in finance at UGA and, of course, serving the Georgia football team as the starting quarterback. The Bulldogs are 30-6 with Fromm at the controls of the offense. He has made 35 consecutive starts.
This season, Fromm has completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 1,406 yards and 9 touchdowns. Georgia (6-1, 3-1 SEC) is ranked No. 10 as it prepares for a matchup with No. 7 Florida (7-1, 4-1) on Nov. 2 in Jacksonville.
Fromm is on pace to become UGA’s all-time leader in career pass efficiency. To date, he has completed 66.7 percent of his passes. He ranks among the school’s top five quarterbacks in touchdown passes (63), yards and completions.
But it’s for what he does off the field that Fromm found himself the center of attention Wednesday.
“During his time at the University of Georgia, Jake has spent countless hours working in our community with local organizations to help make this a better place for all of us to live,” Christian said. “He’s spent a lot of time with Extra Special People, with individuals with disabilities and their families, with children with cancer. He really embodies what it means to give back.”
Georgia place-kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was named to the Allstate Good Works Team in a similar presentation at Barrow Elementary last year.
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