It is well known that LeBron James, one of the NBA’s biggest current stars, has always shown his support for education initiatives in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, as well as across the country. Recently, he took a major step in this direction by opening a public primary school, and this is no ordinary school. Its main aim is to provide children with a safe and nurturing environment, so they don’t have to turn to the streets and can view the school as a second home.
The joint venture between the LeBron James Family Foundation and the Ohio public school system is called Promise School. The first class consists of 240 third and fourth-grade students who were selected based on their socioeconomic status and academic performance. Being a part of this public school grants them a 100% scholarship, which means that students don’t have to pay for lunch, transportation, uniforms, and school supplies.
The school has plans to expand from first to eighth grade by 2022, and it has over 40 members including teachers and trained staff to provide longer school days and an extended academic year for students. Furthermore, it was reported that students who graduate from the program will receive free tuition at the University of Akron, starting in 2021.
But if this whole free college thing isn’t impressive enough, the school is also decked out like a basketball fanatic’s dream: with 114 pairs of James sneakers lining the entrance of the building.
James’ passion for helping struggling students both in and out of the classroom stems from his own childhood experiences. He recalls a pivotal moment in fourth grade when he started missing classes, and believes that receiving the necessary assistance during that time played a significant role in shaping his current life: “When LeBron was in fourth grade, he missed a substantial amount of classes,” revealed Michele Campbell, the executive director of the James Foundation, in an interview with USA Today. We all know the path he ultimately chose. He took the right path, surrounded by supportive individuals, and now we recognize him as the world’s greatest basketball player. Had he taken a different path, we may have never known LeBron James. He could have easily become a statistic like countless students who drop out of school.
Perhaps not all of these children will become the LeBron James of basketball, but they could become passionate and ambitious individuals just like LeBron James. In return, the basketball player expressed his understanding of these children on a profound level, as he has been through similar experiences. He is delighted to have the opportunity to provide them with a chance to grow and thrive, just as he had in his own life.
