Education has diligently played a fundamental part in LeBron James‘ activism from his charitable donations to opening I PROMISE School — a public elementary school in his hometown of Akron, OH — in 2018.
In the basketball star’s latest initiative, his LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) is joining forces with Box Tops for Education, along with Walmart, in an effort to join the movement and fight toward racial equity in education for K-8 schools in the United States, according to a press release.
“For my Foundation and our work in education, we’ve made this a priority in everything we do because we know how important it is to helping students and families stay engaged,” said James in the press release. “We’re excited to help share what we’ve learned and tell this story alongside Box Tops for Education and Walmart.”
As back-to-school campaigns are in full effect as students begin to make their return, “The Best Year Starts Here” digital series is LJFF, Box Tops, and Walmart’s partnered effort to both emphasize the importance of diversity in educators. They also aim to show how communities play a critical role in students’ education and future.
The series will reportedly feature James and three educators of color. It will explore how they navigate through the education system, and what impact they each individually bring to their own classrooms.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to take our equity and inclusion efforts even further by partnering with Walmart and the LeBron James Family Foundation,” said Lilly Moeding, Box Tops for Education’s Brand Experience Manager, in the press release. “We are eager to share stories of extraordinary teachers who are statistically underrepresented to demonstrate the incredible impact they’re having on students and find new avenues to make a difference in communities across the country.”
The Box Tops for Education app has a “Schools in Need” feature where shoppers can choose low-income schools to support with their Box Tops product purchases. Walmart will have in-store events and “The Best Year Starts Here” packages that tie in to promoting the Box Tops app. The proceeds from the help of the app increases funding for schools, further builds awareness of racial inequity in education, and strengthens communities in their goals toward making changes.
