- LeBron James’ I Promise School provides underprivileged children in Akron, Ohio, with high-quality education and support
- The LeBron James Family Foundation was founded in 2004 and has supported many charities like After-School All-Stars, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America
- LeBron’s I Promise Housing provides rent-free apartments to the families of the children who attend I Promise School
LeBron James has been making history on the basketball court as of late. Last season, LeBron set the NBA’s all-time scoring record when he nailed a fadeaway jumper over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third quarter of a February 2023 game. But basketball isn’t the only realm where LeBron is making history.
In 2018, LeBron opened the I Promise School, a public elementary school designed to provide underprivileged children with high-quality education and support. The school has already made a significant impact on the lives of its students and the community with its unique approach to education and focus on family involvement.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the I Promise School, its mission, and how it is transforming the lives of its students and their families. From its innovative academic programs and supportive environment to the positive impact it is having on the community at large, this is a story that will inspire and uplift.
The LeBron James Family Foundation
LeBron James is not just a basketball superstar but also a force for change and inspiration off the court. Through his philanthropic efforts, he has made a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and communities.
The LeBron James Family Foundation, established by LeBron and where his mother, Gloria James, serves as Vice President, is dedicated to creating positive change and providing opportunities for the youth. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James understands the challenges and adversities faced by many young people in underserved communities.
Determined to make a difference, he founded the LeBron James Family Foundation in 2004. The foundation aims to empower children and families through education and community support.
One of the first big missions The LeBron James Family Foundation tackled was the nationwide playground initiative in 2008. The foundation’s goal was to build innovative and safe playgrounds for various communities across the country.
This includes playgrounds in New Orleans after the devastating Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
“I feel good knowing that the kids at St. Bernard will have a new playground with the very best equipment,” LeBron said. “It’s going to be a great place to play, have fun and hang out with friends and family. I am proud to be working with State Farm to help the children of New Orleans.”
The LeBron James Family Foundation has also donated to a handful of organizations. This includes After-School All-Stars, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Gabriel’s Angle Foundation, ONEXONE, and the Children’s Defense Fund.
The LeBron James Family Foundation is one of LeBron’s proudest achievements. On the foundation’s website, there’s a proud statement from LeBron about what his foundation and his hometown means to him:
Via LeBron James Family Foundation:
“Any chance I get, you’ll hear me say it loud and proud: I’m just a kid from Akron. And I say that because of the roots, the support, and the love my city has always given me. From my earliest days growing up in those streets, the community wrapped its arms around me. My mom and I had our challenges, but the people I was lucky to have around me would not let me fail.
I want to do everything I can to be that for my kids in Akron coming up behind me who have incredible futures ahead of them.”
LeBron James is determined to give children in Arkon a better upbringing than he had. What was mentioned above is incredible, but this isn’t all LeBron and his foundation as done. He’s also opened up a school for at-risk kids, fulfilling his promise to the city of Akron.
LeBron’s “I Promise” To Akron
One of The LeBron James Family Foundation’s flagship initiatives is the “I PROMISE” program, which focuses on helping at-risk students stay in school and graduate. Through this program, LeBron James provides educational resources, mentorship, and support to students in Akron public schools.
In 2011, LeBron started a tutoring and college scholarship program for the citizens of Akron. This ultimately led to LeBron looking into starting his own school.
In 2017, LeBron and his foundation approached the Akron school board and expressed interest in creating their own public school for at-risk children. The I Promise School, a public elementary school, officially opened in Akron in 2018.
The school opened to having third and fourth graders attend. Today, grades three to eight attend, with the hopes of eventually having grades one through eight attend.
When the I Promise School opened, they gave their students free uniforms, free breakfast, lunch, and even snacks. This wasn’t all, though. The school also offered free transportation up to two miles and even free bicycles with helmets.
Yes, LeBron and his foundation were pulling no stops at making sure the children of Akron had everything they needed to be successful. LeBron didn’t want his students to worry about having enough money to buy lunch or to wonder if they could find a way to get to school each morning.
LeBron and his foundation took care of that, and when it comes to the students, LeBron couldn’t be more proud of them.
“These kids are doing an unbelievable job, better than we all expected,” LeBron said. “When we first started, people knew I was opening a school for kids. Now people are going to really understand the lack of education they had before they came to our school. People are going to finally understand what goes on behind our doors.”
Today, the I Promise School is at full capacity with more than 600 students. Even with all of the great things that have come with LeBron’s I Promise School, like anything, it hasn’t been without its problems.
Many people criticize the school’s budget, as it has been estimated to cost Akron taxpayers about $8 million per year. The LeBron James Family Foundation provided $2 million in initial funding when the school first opened. Still, the bill left for the taxpayers in an already impoverished area is a tough pill to swallow.
On top of hiking the price of taxes in Akron, the school has been criticized for its students’ poor performances. In September 2022, the I Promise School’s test scores were toward the bottom of all elementary schools in Akron.
Victoria McGee is the I Promise School’s director of the school’s Family Resource Center, and she spoke about the students’ low test scores:
“It’s a hot-button item for us because it’s so much deeper than one test,” McGee said. “We know the education system is broken. As a district and state, they’re very focused on test scores, which I really don’t think they should be. For myself and [The LeBron James Family Foundation], we want to look holistically… You can have an excellent student, and that student can really get the concept and then freak out when the test is in front of them.”
Also, the school suffered from a shortage of teachers, which wasn’t just a problem with the I Promise School. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a lot of schools had to deal with a shortage of teachers.
Still, these problems don’t outweigh the good LeBron’s foundation has brought to the struggling city of Akron. It has given many children hope for a future that doesn’t involve them being stuck in the streets.
LeBron has spoken many times of the people of Akron being one big family. In fact, The LeBron James Family Foundation’s slogan is “We Are Family” and LeBron has recently decided to do more for the family of the children who attend his I Promise School.
The LeBron James Family Foundation started I Promise Housing, which, along with LeBron’s foundation partner, East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp, provides rent-free apartments to the families of the children who attend I Promise School.
The LeBron James Foundation has secured a 50-unit building, known as House 330 (named after Akron’s area code), that has two, three, and four-bedroom apartments. They all come furnished, have access to fiber-optic Wi-Fi, and they have community and fitness rooms.
“In everything we do as a foundation, it’s all about making our kids, parents, and people across the community believe there can be more in their lives than they ever dreamed possible,” LeBron said about I Promise Housing. “We designed House 330 to create opportunities and open doors to show them that anything is possible and that they can do it right here in Akron.”
On top of The LeBron James Family Foundation’s House 330 project, the foundation has also started the I Promise Village. This is a hotel nearby the I Promise School that has been renovated and furnished to allow students and their families a safe place to stay as they battle many challenges, including homelessness and domestic violence.
“Initially, our work was focused on helping these kids earn an education,” LeBron said about the I Promise Village. “But we’ve found that it is impossible to help them learn if they are struggling to survive – if they are hungry, if they have no heat in the freezing winter if they live in fear for their safety.”
The I Promise School’s Family Resource Center offers students and their families medical care, which includes vision care, mental health support, and they have a financial literacy program. The Family Resource Center also has a full-time food pantry providing fresh produce and even hygiene products.
When you look at everything LeBron and his foundation have done, you’d think there wasn’t anything else he could do. But LeBron can and has done more for the citizens of Akron.
The LeBron James Family Foundation worked with The Department of Education and obtained a grant program, which is called Promise Neighborhoods. This grant aims to help children, who are living in distressed communities, become ready for school while ensuring they have the resources to learn and graduate high school. The grant also gives students access to a community-based continuum of high-quality services.
In 2015, the LeBron James Family Foundation started the I Promise Institute, which gave students free tuition to the University of Akron. The scholarship was created by LeBron’s foundation, the University of Akron, and JPMorgan Chase.
Initially, the scholarship was given to students in the Akron public school system who graduated high school with a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Today, it is given to the students who graduate from LeBron’s I Promise School.
Students who graduate are eligible to receive free tuition for four years at the University of Akron if they maintain a 2.25 grade point average by the time they earn 30 credits. The students also need to have good attendance and good disciplinary standing to keep the scholarship.
The scholarship also includes opportunities for the students to land on-campus jobs, helping to develop themselves as young people ready to enter the workforce. Altogether, the scholarship offered by LeBron’s foundation is something that can motivate students, who often grew up unmotivated, to work hard and stay on the right path in life.
LeBron James has left a lasting legacy through his commitment to making a difference. His foundation has empowered students, addressed social issues, and inspired countless individuals around the world.
LeBron has proven that he is not only a champion on the court but also a champion for change in the community. His dedication to giving back serves as an inspiration for us all to use our talents and resources to make a positive impact on the world around us.
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