LeBron James is set to open a public school in his hometown Akron, Ohio in Fall 2018.
In an interview with NBC’s Pro Basketball Talk, James revealed that he is opening the I Promise School, an extension of his education foundation of the same name.
“This school is so important to me because our vision is to create a place for the kids in Akron who need it most – those that could fall through the cracks if we don’t do something,” James said. “We’ve learned over the years what works and what motivates them, and now we can bring all of that together in one place along with the right resources and experts. If we get to them early enough, we can hopefully keep them on the right track to a bigger and brighter future for themselves and their families.”
The school will focus on children in the third and fourth grade with hopes to expand up to eighth grade by 2022. James himself knows just how crucial those grades are in school. He himself admitted to missing 82 days of school in the fourth grade due to instability at home.
The school is the latest philanthropic effort from James. His I Promise Program has already assisted more than 1,100 kids over the past six years. He also partnered with the University of Akron to provide guaranteed four-year scholarships to the school for students who qualified for his program.
Photo: WENN.com
