Akron, Ohio — The children lined up in a row, marching in a light breeze, talking about Pokémon cards and untie shoes on their feet and walked into LeBron James’ school, not his alma mater, but the public school he invested in.
These are students in grades 3 and 4. They have different body shapes, skin tones and accents. Every morning, accompanied by the Beats speakers, teachers greeted them in the same way, hugged and greeted them.
If the children respond, look up at the teachers and show their smiles, then they will pass the narrow stairs to the second floor, where the breakfast has been "waiting for a long time".
If the children are not smiling, well, the teachers will also prepare breakfast. They have undergone training in this regard (how to get along with children).
In the "I Promise" school, substitute teacher Melissa Beitko greets students at the breakfast table.
To prepare for the first return battle after James left Cleveland, I once again, stayed at his "I Promise" school for a morning to truly understand what he really thought inside. He once said that this school will be one of his great achievements, far exceeding the significance of any championship he won. Let's take a look at what this means.
On this day in November, a boy walked into the school gate with his head down. Nicole Hassan, the head of a larger mentor program for LeBron , took the boy out immediately. She held the boy's hand and wiped away the tears he shed.
All students, a total of 250, continued their agenda smoothly. Black Eyed Peas's "I Gotta Felling" echoed in the classroom.
I stood there and watched, wearing my black baseball uniform and jeans, a velvet hat and Nike shoes. Cavaliers team, the team I followed up for The Athletic, who played for LeBron just played a game the night before. During the hour’s drive from my home near the Cavaliers Arena to visit the kids on Market Street in Akron, I, well, didn’t even have time to shave.
This is actually very important because when a fourth-grade student walked to the side of their teacher and saw me standing aside, she solemnly asked me if it was Justin Timberlake and if he was out for more shopping. A few weeks ago, Timberlake and his wife, actor Jessica Biel, suddenly visited LeBron’s school, scaring the kids. After the children were surprised, the reporter told them my true identity. Upstairs, the children walked to the food cart very orderly to get their donuts, bananas and milk. Almost 70% of students in Akron public schools are eligible for free or discounted lunches. When I saw them picking up food, I knew that most of them wouldn't have breakfast if the school didn't offer it.
A 9-year-old girl walked to the food cart wearing a pair of new pink glasses. My contact person casually told me that she was one of 200 children who received glasses from Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons. Many children don’t know that they have poor eyesight until after the examination.
[Translation Note] Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons: Northeast Ohio Ophthalmology Surgeons, a local institution. The little boy before
was seen by Hassan and reappeared in the breakfast area, looking like he had swept away the previous haze and displeasure.
is like this, the little boy's mother's boyfriend is a person with a chaotic personality. The boy endured it for a long time last night under his irritability, and then it was again before coming to school this morning.
"He only cried for a few seconds," Hassan said, recounting what happened after she brought the child into the office and allowed him to stabilize his mood. “With these kids, if we don’t give them a chance to tell what they’re going through when they’re going to school, they might not have the chance to say it all day.”
After the third-grade class of teacher Tara Caporuscio, the students sat next to each class, sitting next to each other, sitting in the shape of an I Promise ring. Caporuscio picked up her speaker and played Josh Groban's "You Raise Me" Up. This is not a song that will appear on the daily playlist of 8-year-olds in downtown Akron, but none of them have any comments. After the song ended, Caporuscio asked each student to share what the lyrics mean to him or her. For example, friends who helped pull up the sidewalk after school, remember their once favorite uncle in prison, their father who died in a car accident, and their dead cousins/sisters, and their true feelings were revealed.
Then a little boy said to Caporuscio: "This song tells me never to forget where I came from. "
" Do you think LeBron remembers where he came from? Especially when he built this school here, when he heard that you all performed like this? I know he will remember it. "Caporuscio replied.
LeBron no longer lives and works in Ohio Northeast. He is now a Laker player, living under the halo and warmth of Angels City. But 2,400 miles away, in the city where LeBron was born and raised, the school he founded in June is thriving, and the ongoing career is greater than his.
LeBron's name is written on the door, and photos and sneakers are hanging on the wall. His "halo" is in the school, but he himself doesn't show up here often. He lives and works too far away. But people are brought together by him to fulfill his mission, teachers, management and community partners, who feel that he has found a way to teach these children, which is the hardest thing.
"I really think the most critical factor is choosing these people who work on the front line. "Hassan said she spent most of her day at I Promise school, while she also worked at Akron Public Schools. "When you watch those kids come to school, walk through school halls, and all the things that are going on in the day." The kids here get hugs and high-fives every morning. Not everyone can do this. Children know when you are pretending, so you have to feel genuinely happy from the bottom of your heart. ”
After LeBron announced that he would leave the Cavaliers for a while and joined the Lakers’ headlines 29 days after he returned to Akron to attend the grand opening ceremony of I Promise.
He will certainly return to Cleveland as a member of the Lakers at some point next week (the article was written last week) and return to the Cavaliers’ home court on Thanksgiving Eve - this will be LeBron’s first game with his old club Cavaliers as a Lakers player.
The school’s location is at W. Market St. 400, from Vincent-St. Mary High where LeBron once shined School (LeBron High School alma mater) is about 4 blocks. Its history goes back to the first time James left the Cavaliers.
James shocked the city and his fans in the summer of 2010, saying he was going to bring his talent to the South Coast. The next year was hard for him personally — he left his hometown for the first time and suddenly became a villain of the entire NBA. His LeBron James Family Foundation is also at a crossroads, looking forward to him Going to Miami , he was reborn and fulfilled his mission.
James and his team took his departure as an opportunity to reshape the foundation, and opened a new agenda in 2011 - improving the reading level of children in downtown Akron and ultimately improving their graduation rates, even though they often face difficulties.
"When he first left to work in Miami, there were many challenges and we learned a lot from it. "This makes our work more in-depth and can be considered more for those who are with us." ”
From third grade, those who attend Akron public schools and have difficulty reading can attend James’ foundation tutoring.They will receive step-by-step teaching and receive guidance from trained personnel from James' organization. They also received hand-written notes and voice messages from LeBron himself.
The wall full of signature shoes. LeBron James wore every pair of shoes on it during the game, and investors could pay to sponsor shoes - that is, sponsor I Promise School.
James's project was able to rise after he returned to Cleveland in 2014. More than a thousand children participate in the program, and when they are in high school, they will also be in the program. Nike also participated. There are also JPMorgan Chase Bank, Samsung and Beats (remember the speakers used by teachers in I Promise?). Students participating in the program may receive some daily necessities or a flat-screen TV.
These gifts are very good. But this is just an emotional connection with LeBron. The possibility of his in-person attendance at this school or foundation event makes the children more eager to try.
The children's reading ability in the LeBron project has been improved, and overall, the reading level of children in the school area of this city has also been improved.
Finally, James also guarantees that any graduates from his foundation will receive a scholarship from the University of Akron . The first class of students will join the University of Akron in the 2021-22 academic year.
At the same time, the Foundation also works with experts from Akron Public Schools, education experts from universities and other cities to achieve the following two things: Study how to guide children in the project and establish industry guidelines for I Promise schools.
"I find it harder to explain this problem," Campbell said. "It's about "care". It's about giving hope. It's about being responsible for a family for life."
LeBron left the Cavaliers was not what teachers at I Promise were ashamed to mention to students, Campbell said. Instead, teachers use this to educate their children. On the day of the Lakers’ October season opening, the children and teachers wore Lakers’ theme purple gold short-sleeved sleeves with the “We Are a Family” slogan in front. James' free agent status is also in the course plan.
“This is a lesson to help kids understand that ‘families will grow and change’,” Campbell said. "In families, people have opportunities and need to expand their wings, but families need to be united. They learn this very quickly."
"I think it's a positive thing," Campbell continued. "I think this thing (James' free agent choice) happens at the right time, at the start of school. This will allow everyone to learn a lot."
Remember, James' school is public. This is not a charter school. The employees inside must abide by the regulations, and the school teaches the same textbooks as the Ohio Public School with nearly 3,700 people.
I Promise will pay $2.5 million in taxes this school year, which is just a drop in the ocean, considering that the district-wide budget of Akron Public Schools will reach $345 million. The foundation has paid nearly $2 million to renovate the teaching building.
LeBron's school is expected to double its size next year, with new second-year students expanding enrollment in third grades at the same time. The original 12 employees will increase to 42.
students will get the chance to enter the school by lottery. The only condition for registering for the lottery is to attend Akron Public Schools, whose reading ability is at or below the bottom 25% of the normal level of their grade. If selected, the admission results will depend on the child's parents or caregivers, depending on whether they are willing to leave their children at school.
There is a famous story about LeBron's childhood. Because of the turmoil in the family (he was the only son in the family and the single mother struggled), he did not go to class for 83 days in the fourth grade. He always says, “I’m a typical one.” He means that without top basketball talent, physical fitness and speed, he might not be able to succeed at all.
Therefore, based on its own experience, I Promise School Day is designed to break the originally flawed rules and make some changes for children who have experienced similar experiences to LeBron.
A class that promises "I Promise" can be recited by all 1,300 students of the LeBron James Family Foundation Tutor Program.
School day time from 9 am to 5 pm - two and a half hours later than most Akron primary schools. This is because most students have no parents to take care of them at home, or take them to an extracurricular activity. So that's what I Promise does: an afternoon snack, and an hour of football, or basketball, or dance classes, depending on the students' interests.
LeBron students can get free breakfast and lunch, although this is not the only school does. But that's all. Most of the food LeBron offers is fresh and obtained from wholesalers. The food manager cleaned fresh fruits and vegetables in the morning. On Friday, extra food from the buffet restaurant will be sent to teachers' classrooms, where they can stuff some into students' backpacks, otherwise, they know that those students won't be able to eat again until Monday when the school starts.
Every morning and every breakfast is like I described, which may be the most important difference from other schools. There was no math or reading class in the first hour. The teachers used the first 60 minutes to soothe students' sadness and enrich their social skills.
"We focus on growth, whether it is social, emotional, or learning," Hassan said. "These children here come with a huge burden. In some special schools, these are put aside because the teachers think she must teach mathematics and reading. And we know that for these children who don't have much chance to learn, society and emotion are the most important."
New glasses, from Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons.
In fact, I Promise students don't have to do any homework during the first month. Their schedule started a few weeks before the Akron Public Schools, and on these earlier days teachers would try to bring 250 students first, who were completely unfamiliar with the school and face significant difficulties at home, and feel the difficulties that most students’ frustrations can dissipate in the school and then spend the day peacefully.
"The first month was like a whirlwind," Hassan said. "In the process of gradually contacting our teachers and staff, it feels like 'striking and deeper layers'"
It is too early to make the successful judgment of I Promise school. Under state law, every third-year student in Ohio can continue to school in fourth grade only if he reaches the normal reading level of his grade. When I Promise students enrolled, they only had a first-year reading level on average.
Due to legal loopholes, children who are in the promotion plan and show progress are allowed to go to school. So in fact, all third-grade students will advance to fourth grade next year.
Likewise, in order to try their best to get the kids to get a boost in state tests earlier this fall, they enjoyed a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Many people will never eat such food at home, even on special days such as festivals.
"In general, the blueprint for success will be that all teachers work together to ensure that every student can get what they need and that every student needs is different," Hassan said.
and more.
There is also a center in the school that runs all family businesses, similar to the one-stop shops held by most county welfare agencies for the poor. Parents of children in school can go to the food storage room here (there are 750 families in LeBron’s Foundation). If you have any financial difficulties, domestic violence or drug factors at home, they can come here.
Parents can also take classes in a JPMorgan Chase-based lab at I Promise to get their GED diploma.Education students at the University of Akron take classes there twice a week and then go upstairs to I Promise classrooms to guide the children and enhance the value of their experience.
[Translation Note] GED: A special test in the United States called the General Educational Development Tests (GED) is a nationally recognized alternative high school diploma exam.
"It makes so much sense." Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry said that he was deeply touched after visiting the school recently and began auctioning off his shoes for I Promise School Fundraising.
"I love this school so much," Landry continued. "This is a model of learning systems that we need to learn from in the future. It may be the right way to get in touch with children when they are younger, removing all the obstacles that affect children."
A painting by LeBron, donated by artist Kris Rhymes, who made it with the cover of an old music album and drove it from Phoenix to Akron himself. It is now hanging on I On the wall of Promise. But LeBron hasn't seen the painting personally yet.
25-year-old Landry grew up in Convent, Louisiana, and said that poverty and crime are the same. But Akron is more serious, he said, but he is visiting I The stories he heard during Promise reminded him of his childhood.
He was shocked by the conversation between the teachers and the children. The meticulous care and attention during the meal, the lesson schedule here, and the satisfaction of the needs of the children. He saw the shoe wall composed of shoes worn by James during the game, and heard about the way the foundation raised funds for each pair of shoes, so that the funds were used in the school. He thought, "This idea is great."
"I was thinking, 'God, I'm There is definitely something like this in the community.’” Jarvis said.
Landry said he wanted to do something similar. So he did, and that was the next part of LeBron’s blueprint.
This project started with entertainment stars, socialites and business tycoons. LeBron’s reputation is so great that it deserves everyone’s trust.
For example, Landry signed a five-year, $75.5 million contract with the Browns. He has played in the Super Bowl three times. The Promise children were crazy when he arrived. When he left, the school designed a rugby show for him and saw him off.
Think about people like Landry who can't promote such a plan themselves but have inner bonds.
"Talking to the I Promise school and learning about what LeBron and his employees do every day definitely gave me inspiration for doing something similar and different," Landry said.
They're in I Everything Promise schools do is learnt from the best practices of public education nationwide and bring them together. Their students are small, with rigorously trained teachers, and can be detected by changes in expressions of each student in time. They all face the same challenges.
LeBron shifted the foundation’s focus to education eight years ago and laid the foundation since then. With the help of his strength and the respect and admiration of his reputation, he has organized banks, lawyers, partners who endorse him, among other things, and local education experts. They fill vacancies that money cannot reach, such as free uniforms, vision checks and Parent consultation and other things.
They provide all these huge resources to give children the opportunity to go to school with the lowest socioeconomic costs. Let them stay as much as possible in school. Let them eat more. Hug them. Listen to them. Finally, most importantly, teach them.
"LeBron started this project, but all he could do was bring a large group of people together." Campbell said, the executive president of the foundation. "They all want to participate in something greater than themselves, live more valuable and surpass themselves. So this happened. I believe there will be such people in every city."
