Our mission

Our mission
is simple

Team LMio Foundation helps student athletes succeed in education and sports through training, cultural dialogue and social opportunities.

  • 01Training
  • 02Cultural dialogue
  • 03Social opportunities

We believe all student athletes can succeed at their goals plus have a better life experience with the proper support.

Read more about our mission
Student athlete doing a front squat in the weight room
Student athlete sprinting through hurdle drills at sunset
Embroidered patch: Education and sports, since 2023
Our program

Poetic Archives

Poetic Archives turns students into published authors. Each student chooses a person from history who inspires them, researches that person in the Poetic Archives Encyclopedia, then writes an original poem and illustrates it. Every poem is printed in a full color hardcover book, and every student is credited as a co‑author.

Relay runners racing at Arcadia
Runner racing the 800 meters
Relay runner heading for the finish at Arcadia

All three photos by Greg Smotherman @smothermanimages

Every participating student

  • Becomes a published author

    In the annual volume that represents their school.

  • Illustrates their own poem

    Automatically eligible to illustrate a chapter in the book.

  • Gets passes to a major track meet

    Complimentary passes for the student and their family to an elite track and field competition.

Our story

How it began

One student running for her community during the pandemic grew into Team LMio Foundation and Poetic Archives.

  • 30 daysA 5K every day for a month
  • $10,000+Raised to feed families
  • Age 14U.S. Congressional Certificate
  1. 1

    5KaDay4Food

    During the pandemic, L'Mio Edwards ran a 5K each day for a month to raise funds for feeding people who couldn't get groceries due to Covid. L'Mio raised over $10,000 for the program she called 5KaDay4Food.

  2. 2

    Food to the doorstep

    L'Mio partnered with a nonprofit, New Earth Life, to distribute food partially purchased by her running. In some cases, L'Mio hand delivered food to the doorsteps of Covid infected people. She received a U.S. Congressional Certificate for Humanitarian Service at age 14 for her effort.

  3. 3

    From Athletes to Authors to Poetic Archives

    In high school, L'Mio noticed students at several competitions couldn't afford track shoes. She created Athletes to Authors, where student athletes wrote essays in exchange for running shoes. The community response was so strong that the program grew into Poetic Archives. Today every participating student becomes a published author and poet and is invited to meet professional and collegiate track and field stars at a major competition. L'Mio co‑founded Team LMio Foundation to keep that mission going.

    Where it startedAthletes to Authors
    What it is todayPoetic Archives
L'Mio Edwards running for 5KaDay4Food

L'Mio Edwards running for 5KaDay4Food

Team LMio Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

All Student Athletes Can Succeed

Call Us

310-808-4552

Find Us

112 Harvard Ave N 2027 Claremont, CA 91711