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Basketball superstar LeBron James has made a surprise announcement that students across England and Wales could only dream of – he has promised to foot the cost of university fees for 1,100 young people for the full four years.
Speaking to more than 6,000 students and parents at a theme park in Ohio, Cedar Point, James – along with President Scott Scarborough of the University of Akron (UA) – the athlete said those who complete his I PROMISE programme will not have to worry about costly tuition fees.
Along with his mother, the athlete began The LeBron James Family Foundation as a way of giving back to the community in Akron and the I PROMISE programme sees disadvantaged pupils graduate from a local public high school and meet – and pass – various testing and community service criteria.
Currently, tuition fees at UA cost around $9,500 (£6,060) a year, meaning, all in all, the basketball star looks set to part with a potential $41.8m (£26.7m) for students beginning at the university come 2021.
Speaking with the Today
Dr Scarborough also announced that, after this group makes it through the I PROMISE programme into university, the next four classes after them will also benefit from James’ pledge.
Speaking of the importance of education, Dr Scarborough said the university was proud to be affiliated with the Foundation and also spoke about how his grandfather moved his entire family to be near a university – and worked long hours – so that he could fulfil his ambition to graduate.
He said his grandfather “unlocked the door to the American Dream, then held it open for others in our family” as he paid for them all to go to university. Dr Scarborough credited his grandfather for putting him into the position he is in today.
Urging the young people in the crowd to take full advantage of the opportunity before them, he advised them to “work hard and stay on track.”
The announcement has come shortly after it was revealed in local media that UA has been troubled financially and is being forced to make cuts of up to $40m (£25.5m).
The university has since said it will rename its College of Education to the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education as a mark of gratitude to the sportsman’s move.
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Leesedanielle/YouTube
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Facebook/Bekah Miles
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Benida Pillitary Bonville via Facebook
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@OxLightBlues/Twitter
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St Gemma's Hospice
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Getty
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AP
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Facebook
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https://www.facebook.com/symon.spencer.9
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ChrisBenRoy
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Samantha-Jayne Brady
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Reuters
Heartwarming news stories from around the world Stranger gives Kindle to homeless man An anonymous do-gooder has shunned praise after he gave a homeless man his Kindle. The man from San Diego, California, was visiting Las Vegas last month, when he met a homeless man named Paul, who had read the same, worn book, each time he passed. The man said he had also been down on his luck in the past, and decided to give Paul his Kindle e-reader. A moving photo showing Paul with his Kindle has been viewed over 2 million times on Imgur
Mjuad/Reddit
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Global News
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Reuters/Humane Society of Tampa Bay
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Reuters
Heartwarming news stories from around the world 'Humans of New York' blog raises over $1 million for Brooklyn school Humans of New York, the photo blog that aims to capture daily glimpses into the lives of New York inhabitants, has raised over $1 million dollars for a school in one of the most-crime ridden parts of the city this week, all because of the story of 13-year-old ‘Vidal’. The money is for Vidal’s school to be able to make contributions towards its pupils’ college tuition and to fund trips for sixth-graders to tour Harvard University
IndiGoGo/Humans of New York
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PA
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Heartwarming news stories from around the world This kid thought the postman should get post too It must be kind of lonely being a mailman, all this correspondence running through your hands every day but none of it addressed to you. It must be kind of lonely being a mailman, all this correspondence running through your hands every day but none of it addressed to you
absofaluminium
Heartwarming news stories from around the world Student raises thousands of pounds for homeless man who offered her £3 for a taxi Christmas is a traditionally a time for giving, particularly to the less fortunate members of society, but one homeless man was prepared to hand over everything he had. The man, named Robbie, offered a 22-year-old student £3 to help her get home safely after a night out - and now she is hoping to raise enough money to help him off the streets
Rex
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