LeBron James Started a New Public School Called I Promise

One of the greatest moments in LeBron Jame’s life just happened this week. He opened up a new public school in Akron, Ohio. And since LeBron James is much more than a basketball player, his school is also much more than just a school. Let’s see!

“We are going to be that groundbreaking school that will be a nationally recognized model for urban and public school excellence. We are letting people know it is about true wrap-around support, true family integration and true compassion”,

said the principal, Brandi Davis. The school is named “I Promise” and will officially open this Monday for 240 students of third and fourth grade, so that next year the school will expand to include second and fifth grades next year. Their objective is to have full 1-8 graders in 2022. What a noble pursuit.

The school is called “I hope” for a reason. Keith Liechty, the Akron Public School connection to James’ foundation tells of how they identified and approached their future students and their parents:

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“Looking at reading data, we identified students who were a year, two years behind in reading. From that, we had more than 120 kids. We had to put a cap on it so we could fit under one roof. We did a random selection of all students who met that criteria and got to make these awesome phone calls to parents and say, ‘How would you like to be part of something different, the I Promise School”.

The school name “I promise” comes from the promise students actually make when they try to be good kids, study, do their homework, listen to their elders, be respectful with the others and generally lead a healthy life. Opening a public school is not an easy thing to do even though it is the right thing to do. But James did it and tweeted his success :

“The jitters before the first day of school are real right now!!! Tomorrow is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the #IPROMISE School. This skinny kid from Akron who missed 83 days of school in the 4th grade had big dreams.”

James also attended an Akron public school and had help from the community, so this is a way to give back, be generous and make an impact.