Trip to Final Four for Rutland boys

I am writing on behalf of Coach James Banks who sponsors a group of students to experience the Final Four basketball tournament.  This group of ten boys comes from Rutland Academy in Athens, GA.   Rutland is a school that serves students with emotional and behavioral disorders which require therapeutic interventions.  Students reside in the following school system zones:  Barrow, Clarke, Commerce City, Elbert, Green, Jackson, Jefferson City, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Social Circle City, and Walton.  The mission of Rutland Academy is to provide a therapeutic and educational environment that empowers students to be academically, behaviorally, and socially successful through collaboration with regional school systems, families, and community organizations.  This is why Coach Banks is involved! He has been sending a group of boys to the final four tournament for the past 15 years.  These boys have to work hard all year to earn this great reward.  While Coach Banks worked there (1999-01), he wanted to address many of these issues in a positive way.  He found this trip to be a great motivator!  He started by taking fifteen boys and now the group is down to 10 due to increased costs.  Every year, Coach Banks reaches out to friends and colleagues in the Athens area to raise money for this trip.  Let’s help him raise the money needed!

Although, he no longer works at Rutland he communicates with the teachers who track the student's behavior. They then choose the lucky ten boys that get to travel to the tournament. This year the cost is $1,200.00 per student.  This covers airfare and hotel.  Coach Banks gets the tournament tickets donated each year.  He has presently raised about half of the funds necessary for the trip in April.

I am reaching out to help raise the rest of the funds that are needed.  Coach Banks wants to continue his tradition of providing these underprivileged young men with a fantastic opportunity.  This gives these boys such a positive experience to travel and learn life lessons through basketball.  They have worked hard on their behavioral issues and on academics!
We don’t have long to raise the rest of the funds!  Please help in whatever way possible!  March Madness begins today and the Final Four is the first weekend of April in Houston, TX. 

Please help make a dream come true for these boys!
I have helped Coach Banks raise money for this trip for the past three years.  I thought this year we should expand our reach outside of Athens!
Thank you so much for any amount you can donate!
This opportunity means the world to these boys!
 
A little background info on Coach James Banks:
PE Teacher, Athens Academy, 1999-present
Head Boys Basketball Coach, Athens Academy, 2006-2015
Played 11 seasons in Europe
Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers
Played at UGA, 1981-1984; trip to the Final Four in 1983
McDonald’s High School All-American 1980