LeBron James Opened A School For At-Risk Kids, And We Couldn't Love Him More

LeBron James started an incredible school for at-risk kids

LeBron James can do it all. He’s a basketball superstar, has pretty great comedic timing (watch him in Trainwreck ASAP), and just opened up an amazing school for at-risk youth. The I Promise School, located in James’s hometown of Akron, Ohio, aims to help kids who need some extra guidance and support.

Last year, the LeBron James Family Foundation reached out to the Akron school board with an idea for helping kids who were struggling both academically and at home. The two partnered together to create I Promise, an institution that offers a hugely crucial support system for families. It runs longer than the typical school year, so kids can catch up on the work they’ve fallen behind on. There’s also plenty of activities to keep students involved with healthy distractions.

That’s not all. Parents are offered support services as well, including job placement assistance and an on-site food bank. “We want to create that safe, that secure and that caring and loving environment for our families and our students so that our kids can focus on education,” Brandi Davis, the school’s principal, told the Los Angeles Times.

On July 30th, 240 students started their first day at the I Promise School. And, oh my goodness, the whole thing was incredibly beautiful.

Just look at this boy’s face.

James was just as excited as all his new students. He took to Twitter the night before the grand opening and announced that he had those first day of school jitters. “Tomorrow is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the #IPROMISE School,” he wrote. “This skinny kid from Akron who missed 83 days of school in the 4th grade had big dreams…”

On the day of the unveiling, James had some poignant words to share about the importance of helping children achieve their dreams. Let’s just say his speech was so moving that I might have just becomes a Lakers fan for life (and I literally know nothing about basketball).

“Us as adults, we have a responsibility to not let these kids down, to continue to be the teachers, the mentors, the parents, the coaching, the life skills, the superheroes … whatever it is that gives the inspiration, everything, that’s our responsibility,” the NBA star said. “These kids are our future and they have dreams and aspirations bigger than the city of Akron, than the state of Ohio, than the USA.”