COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A school in Linden is promoting academic excellence in an effort to make learning fun for students.
The initiative is called Jay's for A's. Students like Kaiiden White at Legacy Academy of Excellence receive Air Jordans in exchange for straight A's or a GPA above a 3.0.
"I got some Nike SB Dunks," White said.
White's mother Kavama Armistead said he is proof that hard work pays off.
"I work really hard to make sure that they understand that education is the first thing that they always need to keep on the forefront so that they can always exceed and become who they choose to become," Armistead said.
White, along with 11 other students, was treated to a shopping spree. It was a completely free experience provided by several community partners including We Are Linden and Foot Locker.
According to the founder of Legacy Academy of Excellence Dr. Emmanuel Anthony, on top of celebrating students for their good grades, it serves as a learning opportunity.
"They have a budget," Anthony said. "They interact with the merchants. They go in the stores. They make the choices and then they come out. We have lunch and we have conversations about financial literacy, money management."
We Are Linden CEO Ralph Carter started the initiative a few years ago and it spread like wildfire.
"My son is a straight A student, and he loves Jordans," Carter said.
According to school leaders, since its inception they've noticed a difference.
“We've had students that have in the past participated in negative activity in our community -- home invasions, car thefts, things like that," Anthony said. "And we've seen tremendous growth with all of our students, particularly those students."
The school said it also hopes to set a standard for other students.
"We hope that they can see someone that they know and that they see in the hallways, in the cafeteria, on the playground, and say, you know what I can achieve at that level as well. If they did it, I can do it, too," Anthony said.
Armistead said she's grateful her kids have a school that motivates them to work hard in the classroom.
"This just made me want to keep focusing and putting in hard work and dedication," White said.
