Quick look
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Skyhook Foundation will donate 1,000 pairs of Adidas shoes and backpacks to 4th, 5th and 6th graders attending Los Angeles Unified schools, all of whom are eligible to participate in the outdoor experiential STEAM program at Camp Skyhook in the Angeles National Forest.
- The in-person distribution event will take place on Monday, November 17, 2025, at noon at the UCLA Community School on the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) campus in the Los Angeles Unified School District,
- The event brings together the Los Angeles Unified, the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, the UCLA Alumni Association and UCLA Foundation with the Skyhook Foundation to support students and families in the local community and encourage kids to “lace up” and explore the STEAM that they encounter in their environments every day.
The Skyhook Foundation is teaming up with Adidas to provide 1,000 pairs of athletic shoes and backpacks to Los Angeles Unified students in grades 4–6—ensuring they’re ready and equipped to explore their environments and examine how that relates back to the work they do in the classroom.
“The Skyhook Foundation grew out of my desire to give children an opportunity to change their lives and their communities through STEAM education. Camp Skyhook ‘Gives Kids a Shot that Can’t Be Blocked. We recognize that knowledge is power,” said Kareem Abdul Jabbar, founder of the Skyhook Foundation. “The Skyhook “Lace up for learning” event is a step in the growth of our service to our communities to help get kids exploring their local environments and build upon the STEAM foundation that our school are providing.
“I am grateful to my alma mater UCLA and, in particular, the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies as well as the UCLA Alumni Association and Foundation, for their assistance in making the Lace UP LA event come to life.”
The “Lace Up” event brought together the Los Angeles Unified School District, the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies and UCLA Community School, the UCLA Alumni Association, and the Skyhook Foundation to support students and families. UCLA basketball legend and founder of the Skyhook Foundation Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joined in the event, meeting with students, community members and educators at the school. Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and Christine Christie, Dean of the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies also joined in the festivities.
