AKRON, Ohio — Thirteen years ago, NBA great LeBron James took a shot off the court to bring out greatness in struggling students from his hometown of Akron.
James refocused his LeBron James Family Foundation on education, establishing the I PROMISE Program. According to the foundation, the program “provides the resources, incentives, and academic and emotional support students and their families need to stay in school.”
And this past May, Akron native Anthony Claytor scored a major accomplishment thanks to an assist from the LeBron James Family Foundation.
“I'm the first in my family to actually graduate college,” Claytor says.
Not only is he a pioneer in his own family, but also in that family created by LeBron James. The 22-year-old is a member of the 2011 inaugural I PROMISE third-grade cohort.
“I was always like gifted in math, but I actually struggled a little bit in reading,” Claytor explained. “Joining the foundation actually helped me boost my reading scores.”
He says I PROMISE Institute Director Toni Montgomery helped him to push through.
“As a foundation, we take being a part of their village very seriously,” Montogomery said. “When we're able to wrap around them, and support them, and encourage them, and be locked step throughout their journey, there's nothing that they can't accomplish.”
And that includes earning a college degree.
“In high school I always wanted to go to college,” Claytor said. “I knew it was something I wanted to do, but I just didn't know if I like had the finances to actually make it.”
During his junior year in high school, an announcement from Kent State University erased that burden for Claytor. The university offered him and the rest of his eligible I PROMISE 2021 high school graduating class full rides to college and a year of free room and board.
“Little did I know that would be an invitation to an opportunity of a lifetime and it really changed my future,” Claytor said.
The Kent State offer was an additional option for Claytor’s I PROMISE cohort because The University of Akron had already guaranteed eligible I PROMISE students free, four-year college scholarships in 2015.
Montgomery says of the more than 120 initial graduates, about 30 transitioned to campus in the fall of 2021. At the time, the world was dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘We're so thankful to have great partners who recognize that was going to be a challenge for our students who are very relationship oriented,” Montgomery says. “To wrap around them and to provide them with the supports that they needed to successfully almost reacclimate back into society in person, it was really a great partnership … that we’ll always be grateful for.”
Claytor chose to attend Kent State and thanks to the support he received from the foundation, KSU staff members, and his family, Claytor overcame every barrier and walked across the commencement stage becoming the first I PROMISE Scholar to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Even James himself recognized Claytor’s accomplishments, making a congratulatory post to the new graduate on X, formerly Twitter.
“I loved it. I was actually surprised,” Claytor says of James’ post. “It’s really amazing though, Mr. LeBron, thank you again.”
Claytor graduated early with a bachelor’s in criminology and justice studies and a minor in sociology. He is following in his sister’s footsteps and pursuing a career in law enforcement.
“She kind of inspired me,” he says. “I always wanted to be a detective, like some Sherlock Holmes type stuff … because I was always good at problem solving.”
The LJFF believes Claytor’s graduation is a lesson to others that some problems which appear insurmountable can be solved with a little help.
“To be the first student in our program to graduate just opens up so many doors,” Montgomery says. “He's going to be an inspiration to every student that comes up behind him.”
According to the foundation, there are currently 74 "I PROMISE" Scholars enrolled in college. The next to earn their degrees could come as early as this December.