Lebron's "I Promise" School

[Moranis]

Obviously the "I Promise" stuff is doing a lot, but I always hoped they would expand on this:

Eligible I Promise students can earn free, four-year college scholarships to the University of Akron or Kent State University.

Hope they could expand to all Ohio public universities. Also would be great if other people started their own versions, and maybe set up some sort of university-share.  Like Anthony Davis opens up a similar school in Chicago, which gets scholarship access to all Illinois public universities, and now students can choose between any Ohio or Illinois public school.

I only say that because I think it kind of stunts development a little if you go through elementary school, middle school, high school, and then college with the same cohort of people.  There's a tendency (IMO) to stay with the same friends your comfortable with, stay in your comfort zone, and not broaden your horizons as much as you might otherwise.  Help the kids spread their wings a little more.

Overall though, with the housing and everything, sounds like great stuff.  Maybe Akron can become the next Tangelo Park, where graduation rates skyrocketed and crime has practically disappeared.

UA and KSU are large universities so they have the full gamut of academic programs, which invariably will allow students to separate and form new groups (college kids tend to hang out with kids in their programs over time).  So I wouldn't worry about that component too much.  They are the local schools (they are like 11 miles driving distance apart and basically on the same road) and the ones that are most closely connected to Akron.  I also wouldn't be surprised if they did expand the program to Ohio State or Cleveland St.  It is all about the University buying in and funding portions of the program.  At the start it was only UA and then KSU came on later.   

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Yeah anything to keep parents from having to be their children. Maybe no summers off, supply all three meals to kids. Set up beds for kids to sleep overnight at the school.

I don't get this post. Can you explain?

[gouki88]

Yeah anything to keep parents from having to be their children. Maybe no summers off, supply all three meals to kids. Set up beds for kids to sleep overnight at the school.

I don't get this post. Can you explain?

I suspect he cannot

[nickagneta]

Yeah anything to keep parents from having to be their children. Maybe no summers off, supply all three meals to kids. Set up beds for kids to sleep overnight at the school.

I don't get this post. Can you explain?

Yeah, because can't the same be said for rich parents that send their kids to elite boarding schools? Is there any outrage against those parents shirking their parental responsibilities?

[Moranis]

Yeah anything to keep parents from having to be their children. Maybe no summers off, supply all three meals to kids. Set up beds for kids to sleep overnight at the school.

I don't get this post. Can you explain?

Yeah, because can't the same be said for rich parents that send their kids to elite boarding schools? Is there any outrage against those parents shirking their parental responsibilities?

It isn't even accurate.  It isn't a boarding school.  The transitional housing and the future low income housing, is for the students and their families to live at.  No one is shirking parental responsibility. 

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

I think I understand:

Poor, inner city: Bad parenting

Elsewhere: Let's give these parents the benefit of the doubt

[byennie]

As someone who just opened a business in Akron, Ohio, I can tell you that any mention of the school is met with a glowing response, at least in my experience so far.

I absolutely hate LeBron as a player, but jumping to criticize this project unless you REALLY have insight, is pretty low.

[celticsclay]

As someone who just opened a business in Akron, Ohio, I can tell you that any mention of the school is met with a glowing response, at least in my experience so far.

I absolutely hate LeBron as a player, but jumping to criticize this project unless you REALLY have insight, is pretty low.

The schools seem like a really great project and Lebron should be commended for it. I’m hoping the documentary is a positive also but am a little less certain of that project.

[Moranis]

https://www.cleveland.com/akron/2022/03/drake-pledges-1-million-to-lebron-james-i-promise-school.html

Thought that was interesting since Drake has no connection to Akron other than being friends with Lebron.  The school seems to be going well and as mentioned in the article Lebron's foundation keeps expanding the offerings with a community hub set to open later this year.