Spence McCracken, former Auburn football player and well-renowned high school football coach, has spent the last year investing in at-risk teenagers at Opelika High School.
The character education program began last year with a grant from AT&T and support from Auburn University. It aims to help students who are struggling with their grades, as well as issues with discipline and attitude.
In the program, teachers are asked to rank the student on attendance, grades, homework, discipline and attitude.
Students compete with each other to have the highest score at the end of the week.
McCracken, a 1972 Auburn graduate, played center on arguably one of the most famous Auburn teams in history.
Coached by Ralph "Shug" Jordan, Auburn appeared in three bowl games while McCracken was on the team.
McCracken went on to coach high school football for 36 years in Montgomery and in Opelika, winning three state championships and being named the USA TODAY National Coach of the Year in 1986.
After retiring from coaching in 2008, McCracken said he wanted to try to find a way to stay in the school system.
"I wanted to find something--I didn't know what it would be--but I wanted to find some way to stay involved and to stay around these great kids and coaches that I have relationships with," McCracken said. "I just wasn't quite ready to leave that yet."
McCracken said he found his place within the character education program, which takes a hands-on approach to mentoring students.
"It's different than coaching was," he said. "With coaching, you're around these kids all the time, but it was easy to get caught up in practicing and working out and miss the actual people. I like this program because it allows you to focus on the actual people."
McCracken said he sometimes eats meals with the students, gives them rides home or sits in on their classes.
"People ask me if retirement is going to drive me crazy," McCracken said. "It's not going to drive me crazy. I will spend time with my family, get more involved with my church, play some golf and make my yard look nice."
McCracken said he has one main goal in retirement.
He said his goal is to "follow what the good Lord leads me to do. He never leads you wrong."
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