Defensive end Akiem Hicks had an excellent first season with the Bears last year. But the impact he's making in Chicago extends well beyond the playing field.
Hicks recently announced that he will provide three Chicago Public School seniors with four-year college scholarships through a partnership with Give Something Back, a national organization devoted to helping lower-income students attend college.
"I feel like giving kids a jump-start in life and really putting them in a position to be successful is going to be a great benefit," Hicks said. "It's special for me because I know when I was coming out of high school I didn't really have another option.