Thirty high school juniors and seniors from Carroll County Schools will participate in an intense 12 week coaching program provided by Orange Duffel Bag Initiative (ODB), a Georgia 501c3 public charity. ODB is bringing the program to Carroll County in partnership with Carroll County Schools, the University of West Georgia (UWG) and with partial financial support from the Governor’s Office of Childrenand Families (GOCF).

Once a week at UWG, participants from Central High School will engage in curriculum and experiential sessions led by ODB’s seasoned, executive-level coaches. Certified coaches along with youth advocates will help students realize their passions, create a comprehensive life plan and education plan, set and achieve meaningful goals, and learn strategies to overcome obstacles and stay focused on achieving their education. "The Carroll County School System is excited to work with UWG and The Orange Duffel Bag Initiative to help enable High School students to be successful,” says Scott Cowart, Superintendent.

The program’s focus is to support education completion for students who are often first in their families to pursue a high school degree. Many students ODB serves have experience with homelessness, foster care or high poverty. The program is convened on a college campus to allow students to see themselves in an academic environment and know that postsecondary education is a possibility for them. “I am glad to have them on campus as their goals align very well with ours,” says Scot A. Lingrell, Ph. D. Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at UWG.

"It’s often said we need to invest in our future’s most valuable resource, Georgia’s kids,” says Michael Daly, ODB President. “Clearly a positive outcome for Carroll County students is the mission of this collaboration.”

The evidence-based program and curriculum are built on the 7 Rules for the Road from the multi award winning nonfiction book My Orange Duffel Bag: A Journey to Radical Change. The author, Sam Bracken, was once a homeless teen who earned a Georgia Tech football scholarship and went on to become a successful executive. The program and his story of triumph over adversity inspire and motivate young people. Visitwww.theODBi.org or email Info@theODBi.org for more information. ODB’s program is free to youth. Classes are scheduled to beginMarch 8, 2014.