The New York Knicks are currently in the middle of a bounce-back 2022-23 campaign after falling short of the playoffs last season, with Julius Randle’s revival at the heart of the Knicks’ efforts. Beyond the Knicks’ resurgence on the court, however, Randle has also been hell-bent on facilitating the improvement of the literacy level of students currently enrolled in Earl Monroe High School with an initiative that would go a long way towards helping set up their futures.
Back in November 2021, Randle launched the “30 for 3” initiative, where the Knicks forward pledged to donate $500 for every three-pointer he made. Inspired by Randle’s initiative, a few investment banks, financial institutions, and local businesses also pledged to donate additional funds to help fuel the cause. Even 17-year old Ayden Khalid, a high-school student from Dalton High School, helped raise an additional $12,090.
16 months later, and Julius Randle’s initiative has raised $880,000, the check for which he presented to more than 200 students at the Earl Monroe High School on Tuesday night, per Stacy Geisinger of Stacy Knows. Randle knows just how big of a deal it is to be able to use his platform and reach to help those in need.
“It’s been my privilege to give back, especially to Earl Monroe’s unique school, and their incredible commitment to improving reading comprehension. Earl Monroe is an idol, a great man off the court, and these kids are special,” Randle said.
The Earl Monroe High School (full name: Earl Monroe New Renaissance Charter Basketball High School) isn’t a traditional educational institution, as its basketball-centric curriculum focuses not just on the playing aspect, but also on the other career paths one could take related to the global sport.
Thus, beyond helping kids understand the sport, acquiring the skills that allow them to succeed in associated fields is a must, making the Knicks forward’s initiative such a helpful one to address the difficulties students have had in reaching the reading comprehension levels expected for their current educational attainment.
At the end of the day, Julius Randle’s initiative is rooted in his love for the Knicks and his beloved city of New York.
“New York is home for me. It’s a place that I’ve established as home. I want to be a part of the city and give back, show the city love,” Randle said, per SNY.
“New York is home for me. It’s a place that I’ve established as home. I want to be a part of the city and give back, show the city love.”
– Julius Randle pic.twitter.com/bzgU6Q7pnJ
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 28, 2023
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