Although Lebron James has been making records after records in NBA , not least getting the All time scoring record last season in feb 2023, its his off the court role that has really been a shining light off late. Lebron James had opened his ‘I Promise’ school in 2018 , especially focusing on the low income families to provide the kids with high quality education and support. The impact it has had on the local community is insurmountable as it has a distinct approach to teaching and getting members of the family involved.
The ‘I Promise’ school, the way its run, the manner in which it is impacting the local community will all be covered in this article. It really is a tale that will inspire and teach us something about how positive Lebron James has been for those little kids.
A closer look at The Lebron James Family Foundation
In addition to being a basketball legend, Lebron is a change maker off the court and has set in a chain of events that will help shape kids future in Akron for decades to come. Through his work , especially philanthropic, Lebron James has impacted numerous lives of entire communities.
He established the Lebron James foundation in 2018 as he was determined to make a difference. Through education and community support, the foundation aims at empowering underprivileged sections of the society. One of the first and possibly the most significant decisions made by the foundation was to build playing fields nationwide for kids to play safely . This was not just establishing new ones but also refurbishing the ones which got damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Lebron said : “I feel good knowing that the kids at St. Bernard will have a new playground with the very best equipment,” “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.”
A few other organizations like After-School All-Stars, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Children’s Defense Fund, Gabriel’s Angle Foundation, and ONEXONE have been lucky enough to get donations from the foundation. One of the proudest moments of Lebron James’s life has been getting the foundation started as he proudly states it on his website
“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’s I Promise School and its subtle way of molding kids
The “I PROMISE” programme, which concentrates on assisting at-risk children stay in school and graduate, is one of The LeBron James Family Foundation’s core initiatives. LeBron James offers educational materials, mentoring, and support to students in Akron public schools through this program.
LeBron established a tutoring and college-scholarship program for Akron residents in 2011. LeBron eventually began considering opening his own school as a result of this. The third and fourth grades were the first to enroll at the institution. Currently, students in grades three through eight attend, with plans to eventually include students in grades one through eight. The I Promise School provided free uniforms, breakfast, lunch, and even snacks to all of its pupils when it first began. But that wasn’t all. The kids were also provided free transport up to 2 miles and even free bicycles with helmets.
Lebron said : “These kids are doing an unbelievable job, better than we all expected,” “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.”
Here’s hoping Lebron keeps up his work and many more kids stay off violence and choose to educate themselves and lead a better life.
