EACH ONE TEACH ONE

You don’t have to be a basketball fan to know that Lebron James is one of the best forwards in the league. Not everyone will agree with me, but being a Pittsburgh native and not having a professional basketball team, Cleveland was as good as it gets from a demographic standpoint.

It’s sad to see Lebron leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and go to the Los Angeles Lakers, but don’t hate the player, hate the game! “Lebron signed a four-year deal with the Lakers for $153.3 million back on July 9 which includes a player option in James’ final year which will approximately be worth $41 million, and a 15 percent trade kicker in any potential player swap”.… get money!

So whats a man who grew up in Akron Ohio, now playing for Los Angeles, with more money than anyone can imagine do next? Well, the obvious…”if you build it, they will come”. These kids will never forget their first day of school.

I PROMISE SCHOOL

The I Promise School is a “1st – 8th-grade academic institution. It will infuse the Akron Public Schools’ rigorous curriculum with a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), hands-on, problem-based learning focus”.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Expect this to be a community effort. They are committed and invested in making this elementary school and children’s education flourish. With an, “it takes a village” mentality and access to the Home Access Center (HAC), which provides hands-on information to parents such as:

• Daily class schedule including room numbers, duration, and teachers’ names
• Attendance (daily and yearly) including tardy, excused or unexcused absents and suspension data
• Classwork with assignments and grades
• Interim Progress Report
• Marking Period Report Card
• State and federal testing scores
• Demographic information as it is registered in our system
• Notes or attachments from classroom teachers
• Classwork calendar
• Ability to see more than one student at a time (parents only)
• Allows parents and students to actively monitor progress

WHY CHOOSE THE I PROMISE SCHOOL

The faculty and teachers are made up of highly educated and knowledgeable individuals from various Akron Public Schools and institutions being chosen one by one geared toward accelerating the education of our at-risk youth and providing the emotional and mental support they need. Other Benefits are:

• Tuition is free
• Uniforms are free
• Transportation is free for every student who lives more than two miles away
• Every student gets breakfast, lunch, and snacks
• Food pantry for families
• Every student gets a free bicycle and helmet
• Students who stick with the foundation’s program are promised a full scholarship to the University of Akron on graduation.

Although Lebron will be in LA during the kid’s school year, he has no intentions of being idle:

To all my I PROMISE kids and families… You’ve probably heard me say it a million times, but I’ll proudly say it a million more – like you, I’m just a kid from Akron. And no matter where I work, that will never change. Akron will always be home. I’ve sent you a letter in the mail, but just wanted to make sure you know that my commitment to you will only get bigger as we continue to grow together.
Always remember, WE ARE FAMILY.

Lebron James, 2018

There are many of athletes who give back and leave it in the hands of others to do what they may, but Lebron has been in the trenches as a native and knows not only what the community needs but the children in order to ensure that it continues to thrive.

 Keep your ear to the wall about the I Promise School and how they progress throughout the school year. You can get additional information and details via the Akron Public School website.

Photo and some content credits: Akron Public Schools, Associated Press, LJFF, and ESPN