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[Phoenix RISING]

James called Monday perhaps the greatest day of his life. He celebrated the opening of the I Promise School, the offspring of an enterprising partnership between his foundation and Akron Public Schools that intends to change the lives of some of the city’s most underprivileged children.

A few years ago, James was brainstorming with Michele Campbell, the executive director of the LeBron James Family Foundation. They were talking about making an even greater impact. In 2011, the foundation established its I Promise program, taking on a class of third graders and giving them the resources, incentives and support — academically and emotionally — to thrive. Campbell’s idea for a school was the extension of that concept. She thought she was just thinking out loud — couldn’t we help more kids and families with an entire school? — but James reacted seriously.

The I Promise School has begun with 240 students, 120 each in the third and fourth grades. The plan is to expand gradually and serve students from kindergarten to eighth grade by 2022. The students being served have dire academic and emotional needs. They are some of the lowest-performing students in the district. The mission is to turn around the children’s academic lives by changing the lives of everyone in their families. The school provides services to assist children dealing with trauma and to support and educate parents trying to survive poverty. At the school, there are opportunities for parents who didn’t graduate high school to study for their GEDs. There is a pantry with donations from a food bank, and parents can pick up groceries to take home and prepare meals. They call this approach “family wraparound support.”

This is James’s vision, right down to having 240 bicycles available so that every student has a free bike to ride. As a child, James found freedom on his bike. It helped him flee his dangerous neighborhood and venture to the parts of the city where he could play basketball, engage in productive activities and allow the community to help him.

Well, LeBron is certainly better than Jordan off the court, that's for sure. I know that Warrick Dunn buys houses for the those in need (including Deshaun Watson), and has been doing so for 20 years but that still does not entail all the legal red tape required to erect a school. Is this the most significant humanitarian contribution by an athlete?

Source:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...fa705927d54_story.html?utm_term=.92cae9d1f5d2

 

[Gander]

awesome, one final gift to his hometown

 

[Papa]

This is great and is focused on the right end of the system to produce equality of opportunity.

 

[Nobody_Important]

How does the I Promise School differ from any other school?
The school will operate with a longer-than-normal school year, with a focus on accelerated learning to bring kids up to speed who otherwise might be lagging. In addition, there is a focus on combating factors outside of the classroom that could cause children to struggle.

Services are available to help students deal from stress related to parents who are struggling to make ends meet. In addition there are activities to prevent the kids from having too much idle time and potentially getting into trouble.

The school also provides services to families, which include job placement assistance for parents and an on-site food bank that will allow parents to pick out foods they can prepare at home.

LeBron James often credits his bicycle as a huge factor in his childhood that gave him an escape from dangerous parts of his neighborhood and the freedom to explore — every student will receive a bicycle when they arrive.

Principal Brandi Davis explained the goals of the I Promise School to the Los Angeles Times:

“I think the missing link in public education is that family wraparound support,” said Brandi Davis, the school’s principal. “Because our students come to school and they’re worried about things at home. … We want to create that safe, that secure and that caring and loving environment for our families and our students so that our kids can focus on education.”

I am not the biggest fan of Lebron on the court, but this is an amazing move by him for his hometown. These kids lives are gonna change overnight thanks to this school. And the way the school functions to help the parents and not just the kids is a masterstroke. All schools in should function like this in the areas that need them. I am excited to see how the school performs as time goes on. I hope to hear alot of feel good stories come out of this.

 

[Deleted member 713885]

Awesome.

It would be great if many other sports, music, and entertainment stars followed in his foot steps.

I'd rather have schools opened with my money then a Lambo and half a milly in ice around my neck.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Nice Lebron.

 

[mckmas8808]

This is great and is focused on the right end of the system to produce equality of opportunity.

Exactly! This is great. Glad to see him focus on kids like himself that were having issues going to school due to circumstances and that are underprivileged.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

there are opportunities for parents who didn’t graduate high school to study for their GEDs. There is a pantry with donations from a food bank, and parents can pick up groceries to take home and prepare meals. They call this approach “family wraparound support.”

This has to be my favorite aspect of the program, based on what I've read from the article.

Family involved = superior experience at school, the end.

 

[zombie_gamer87]

this is absolutely amazing. Life changing for so many kids and hopefully inspires others to do the same.

 

[mr2xxx]

Props to Lebron, all the pressure in the world on him as a kid and he became a great human being and a elite talent.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

I love that jordan slight.

But Lebron has been a great role model, and amazing with his gratitude and giving back.

 

[Cleared_Hot]

Proving once again we don't need the government to do everything for us. All the LeBron James in the US need to step up to the plate