In April 2025, Mattel unveiled something no one expected: LeBron James as a Ken doll.
On the surface, it might feel like just another brand collab. But it’s more than that. It’s a cultural moment—and an education moment—about visibility, representation, and what it really means to be seen.
Why Representation Still Hits Different
Students need to see themselves in the world to believe they belong in it. That includes the classroom.
Whether it’s the content in front of them, the voices being heard, or the assessments they’re asked to complete—representation shapes how students show up. LeBron James, one of the most visible and community-driven athletes of our time, being cast not as a basketball star but as Ken, is a reminder: kids are paying attention to who gets celebrated. And how.
When students don’t see themselves reflected in what they’re being taught or measured on, they disengage. When they do see themselves? They lean in.
Beyond the Bubble Sheet: What IMPACTER Does Differently
At IMPACTER, we don’t just measure academic performance. We measure what most districts ignore: the essential human skills that make a person who they are—skills like:
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Purpose
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Curiosity
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Grit
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Gratitude
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Compassion
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Perspective-Taking
And we don’t do it with multiple choice tests. We do it with voice.
Students speak out loud—on camera or audio—responding to prompts that make them reflect on their real lives. Our neural engine analyzes those authentic responses and produces actionable, science-based data on their growth.
No survey. No guessing. Just proof.
Meeting Students Where They’re At
Representation isn’t just about faces—it’s about format.
That’s why we embed user-generated content (UGC) into our curriculum and assessments. TikToks. YouTube shorts. Creator voices. We don’t try to drag students into old systems—they’re already telling stories in their own language. So we build from that.
We use short-form video and relatable examples to spark deeper reflection and emotional engagement. The result? Students feel seen and motivated to grow.
Why This All Comes Back to LeBron
LeBron isn’t just a doll. He’s a message.
A message to students—especially young men of color—that they’re allowed to be soft and strong. Athletic and intellectual. Famous and fatherly. Public and personal.
And that matters. Because when students believe their story belongs in the curriculum—or on the shelf at Target—they show up with more agency, more voice, and more confidence.
Let’s Build A School System That Sees Every Student
It’s time to stop measuring only what’s easy to quantify.
Let’s measure what’s real. Let’s show students they matter by reflecting their stories, their language, and their voice in the ways we teach and assess.
That’s not just culturally responsive. It’s emotionally intelligent. It’s scientifically sound. It’s IMPACTER.
Ready to see what happens when student voice becomes the data?
