All aboard! LeBron James sent the third graders of his iPromise School to the North Pole on none other than the Polar Express.

The students were treated to the full experience seen in the movie: golden train tickets, silver bells, a visit from Santa and his elves and, of course, a dancing conductor. 

In a video posted to Twitter, the children can be seen dancing with excitement in their blue “We Are Family” t-shirts. 

The Lakers forward reshared the video with quite a few red heart emojis, according to People. 

According to the Lebron James Family Foundation, the excursion, which offers a round-trip journey to the North Pole, is a 7-year tradition. 

“The magic that lives in our own backyard is just a stone’s throw away and one to experience with the whole family,” the post was captioned. 


The public school also had a visit from James’ wife, Savannah James, on Thursday. The school’s Twitter account posted photos of her stopping by the fifth-grade classroom. She even Facetimed her husband so he wouldn’t miss out on the fun. 

iPromise then partnered with Walmart Thursday night and held a Family Feast for the students and their families. Savannah, James’ mom and their personal chef, Dena Marino, were all in attendance. They served the iPromise School families food while the children seemingly put on a Christmas performance, clad in tinsel and elf hats. 

“It was a family affair in our favorite place to call home with coming together for a family meal being one of our favorite things to do,” the post was captioned. 

James has previously partnered with Walmart’s Fight Hunger Spark Change campaign to help provide food for Feeding America food banks in exchange for school supplies, toiletries, clothing and more for his students, as Blavity previously reported. 


LeBron opened the iPromise School in 2018 through the LeBron James Family Foundation in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The STEM-based school services local at-risk youth. The school partnered with the University of Akron to provide four-year college scholarships to students of iPromise who complete their high school education. 

Just last month, it was announced that the school will provide transitional housing for families of students who are struggling with homelessness and domestic violence, as Blavity previously reported. 

“Initially, our work was focused on helping these kids earn an education. But we’ve found that it is impossible to help them learn if they are struggling to survive — if they are hungry, if they have no heat in the freezing winter, if they live in fear for their safety,” James said. “We wanted this place to be their home where they feel safe, supported, and loved, knowing we are right there with them every step of the way as they get back on their feet.”

Graduate Hotels will renovate an apartment building that stands just five blocks away from the school. The building will have 22 units and is expected to be completed in July of 2020.

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