LeBron James will open his I PROMISE School in Akron on Monday to students— a moment he calls "one of the greatest moments of his life."
The school will host 240 third and fourth-graders during the 2018-19 school year.
The school is a partnership between the LeBron James Family Foundation and Akron Public Schools. It is the culmination of LeBron's I PROMISE Program, which encourages kids to finish school.
By 2022, the building will house nearly 1,000 students from first through eighth grades.
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Students and parents started arriving ahead of a 9 a.m. start time.
Our #IPROMISE School Staff are gathering all around the school to greet @KingJames kids as they arrive for the 1️⃣st day at 9am! #WeAreFamily pic.twitter.com/updAKRs6Fi
— I PROMISE School (@IPROMISESchool) July 30, 2018
Inside the school, motivating messages cover the walls. Backpacks and supplies were set out on classroom tables ahead of students' arrival.
A dream come true for LeBron James and his foundation: The I Promise School for at-risk students in Akron opens today with plan to transform lives of students and parents:https://t.co/fxTrCaueBM pic.twitter.com/D27di415k8
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) July 30, 2018
James was born and raised in the Akron area and played 11 seasons in two stints for the nearby Cleveland Cavaliers. He recently announced he was leaving the Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers.
Stage is set for an awe-inspiring first day at LeBron’s I Promise Schoolhttps://t.co/XvYpFGVT6K pic.twitter.com/vuoZ1vLMC8
— ohiodotcom (@ohiodotcom) July 30, 2018
— LJ's Fam Foundation (@LJFamFoundation) July 29, 2018