Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James will open a public school for at-risk children in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, The Associated Press reports.
The LeBron James Family Foundation has partnered with Akron Public Schools to charter the “I Promise School,” to service students who might otherwise be left behind.
“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,” said James, a four-time MVP and three-time NBA champion, via the Associated Press.
The school is set to open for third and fourth graders in the fall of 2018, and then expand to grades 1-8 in 2022.
“We are excited about the potential of the I Promise School to provide specialized programming and invaluable resources for our students,” said David James, superintendent of Akron’s Public Schools. “We’ve seen the positive influence of the LeBron James Family Foundation on our students and we look forward to continuing to do everything we can to put our students in a position to be successful.”
James has previously partnered with the University of Akron to provide full scholarships for students in his program who qualify. His foundation’s Wheels for Education and Akron I Promise Network programs have helped introduced students to multiple careers they might not have otherwise encountered.
In all, James’ programs have helped more than 1,100 kids over the past six years.
“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,” he said. “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.”
