LeBron James ‘Promises’ 2,000+ College Scholarships

For those of you who don't know, LeBron James is a basketball star who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the US. He is known around the world for his skills on the court - and a couple of TV cameos - but he is also the co-founder of the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF). The foundation aims to positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and co-curricular educational initiatives, which are activities which complement what the children learn in school. At the foundation, they believe that the development of those lives depends on education and living an active, healthy lifestyle. In its latest venture, the LJFF is partnering up with LeBron's hometown college, the University of Akron in Ohio. The partnership will enable more than a thousand children currently enrolled in the foundation's "I Promise" programme to go to college with a fully paid-for scholarship. Amongst other vows, children in the programme have to promise to always go to school, listen to their teachers, and do all of their homework. They also have to be kind and respectful to others and try to live a healthy lifestyle. And above all else, they have to promise to try and have fun. LeBron said that this new programme might be one of the best things he has ever been involved in. "This is very special to me," he said. He explained that lots of children who grow up in the inner city like he did don't think beyond high school because they don't think there are any options for them. LeBron wants to show them that those options can and do exist. The children in the programme currently attend elementary or middle school in the Akron public school system. Typically, students enter the programme when they are in third grade, when they are about eight or nine years old. Over the next four years, an additional 1,200 students are expected to join the programme. Scott Scarborough is the president of the University of Akron and estimated that it costs about $38,000 (£24,200) for four years of college. As long as the students complete the programme, along with fulfilling both the attendance and grade requirements, they won't have to worry about that cost. LeBron has faith in all of the students and says that he thinks his own story speaks for itself. With a lot of hard work, LeBron knew that one day he would be able to make his dream a reality, and that's just what he did. "I just love the game so much that I won't let nobody tell me that I couldn't accomplish something," he said. "So I know exactly what a lot of these kids are going through." And because of that, at least 2,300 school children in Ohio will have a shot at college.