LeBron James Opens Innovative New Public School in his Hometown, Says It’s One of the Most Important Accomplishments of his Life
LeBron James has always been notorious for giving back to his community in any way he can.
The basketball thing: it’s fun, I love it. I enjoy it. But to give back, being able to open up a school; that’s something that’ll last for way beyond my years
– LeBron James
Motivated by his formative years, the NBA superstar was been driven to open an innovative public school to serve low-income and at-risk students in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
According to Cleveland.com, James said, “Besides having three kids, marrying my wife, putting my mom in a position where she’ll never have to worry about anything again for the rest of her life. This is right up there [in the most important things in my life]. Championships, MVPs, however many points, rebounds and assists, that stuff is whatever.
But me being able to open up a school and give back to my inner city for so many kids that I know because I was those kids and I walked those streets, and it was like ‘there’s no way I’m gonna be able to get out of this situation.’ I just thought about that every day. But I had dreams and I had mentors that allowed my dreams to become who I am today.”
The I Promise difference
The I Promise school will focus on accelerated learning, guarantees free college tuition to the University of Akron and will also help provide job placement assistance for parents; an unusual concept for most public schools in the US.
And that’s what will set I Promise apart from other low-income public schools: ensuring these low-income students — that’s 240 third- and fourth-graders — and their families get the support they need, otherwise known as the “We Are Family” philosophy. According to I Promise principal, Brandi Davis, “it is about true wrap-around support, true family integration and true compassion.”
