Giving Compass' Take:

• Lebron James just opened a school called I Promise for at-risk kids in Akron, Ohio. It provides nutritional lunches, after-school programs, and opens at different school hours to adjust to needs of the students and their families. 

• James says that in fourth grade he missed 83 days of school and doesn't want other kids to suffer the same fate. How will this celebrity-philanthropist school initiative be different from others? 

• Read about how teachers should learn how to address students that have adverse experiences and build positive relationships with them. 


On Monday, LeBron James is set to unveil what he's called "the most important" project of his professional career: a school.

The LeBron James Family Foundation I Promise School is based in Akron, Ohio, James' hometown, and will house 240 students — 120 third-graders and 120 fourth-graders. It was built in partnership with Akron Public Schools and is for children at risk of falling behind. By 2022, the school will house nearly 1,000 kids in grades first through eighth.

James battled poverty and homelessness growing up, at one point missing large chunks of school in fourth grade. He wanted to build a school for children like him growing up to not only provide better education but to provide better life infrastructure.

According to Cleveland.com's Jennifer Conn , James' school will look slightly different than other public schools. The hours will be from 9-5. The school year goes from July 30 to May to eliminate what experts call the "slide" that occurs during summer vacation. Through the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, the I Promise School will also help provide food for families who may not be able to provide proper nutrition. There are after-school programs to keep kids from getting into trouble when the school day ends.

Many professional athletes partake in charitable endeavors. Some spend millions of dollars on their off-court projects, the breadth and depth of which can be hard to list in one place.

It's easy to see other athletes emulating James. James is already one of the most iconic and influential athletes in the world. Not every player has the resources to build their own public school, but for those who do, James may be creating a pathway.

Read the full article about Lebron James school by Scott Davis at Business Insider