Getty Michelle Obama called LeBron James a "role model" for his efforts in bringing the I Promise School to life in Akron, Ohio.
In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, Michelle Obama praised the LeBron James for his recently-announced I Promise School, which will offer children free tuition, free uniforms, free bicycles and helmets, free transportation within two miles of the school, free meals, a food pantry for their families, and GED and job placement opportunities for their families. The school will also reportedly guarantee tuition for any student who graduates and attends the University of Akron.
Obama tweeted, “.@BarackObama and I are so proud of @KingJames and @IPROMISESchool. Kids in Akron and across the US are lucky to have you as a role model on and off the court. Keep using your platform for good and giving our kids a chance to shoot for the stars. #ReachHigher #BetterMakeRoom”
.@BarackObama and I are so proud of @KingJames and @IPROMISESchool. Kids in Akron and across the US are lucky to have you as a role model on and off the court. Keep using your platform for good and giving our kids a chance to shoot for the stars. 🌟🏀 #ReachHigher #BetterMakeRoom
The I Promise School is technically a joint venture between the Akron, Ohio school system and the LeBron James Family Foundation. The I Promise school, which officially launched on Monday, is currently only available for third and fourth graders, but will expand each year with aims to have grades one through eight by 2022.
Brandi Davis, the principal of the I Promise School, said of the new educational structure, which highlights the emotional and career well-being of the parents as well as the students, “We are going to be that groundbreaking school that will be a nationally recognized model for urban and public school excellence. We are letting people know it is about true wrap-around support, true family integration and true compassion.”
On Sunday night, James tweeted out his own opinion of the school’s opening, noting that he personally missed 83 days of school when he was in the 4th grade. “Tomorrow is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the #IPROMISE School,” Lebron tweeted.
It’s no surprise that the Obamas would be a fan of this educational milestone. Michelle Obama has spearheaded several education initiatives for young children in the past, including the Let Girls Learn initiative, which focuses on enabling young women across the world to have access to an education and to expand the opportunities they have to complete their education up to adulthood.
Obama has also previously cited education as “the most important issue facing African-Americans today.” During a White House panel in 2015, Obama said, “If we really want to solve issues like mass incarceration, poverty, racial profiling, voting rights, and the kinds of challenges that shocked so many of us over the past year, then we simply cannot afford to lose out on the potential of even one young person. We cannot allow even one more young person to fall through the cracks.”
