A green and blue RV was spotted recently downtown at Catfish Row and Hwy 61 Coffee Shop. PBS’ Roadtrip Nation RV made a stop in Vicksburg, so a former AmeriCorps NCCC team leader, Nicole Morin, could show off the city she fell in love with.

Morin was with AmeriCorps in Vicksburg in 2013. A press release from AmeriCorps said Morin is currently working with Roadtrip Nation, which is sending two groups of roadies across the country.

Morin and four other roadies were passing through the city on their way to host a presentation at Missississippi State University. She couldn’t wait to take them to The Tomato Place for lunch.

They host presentations at schools, which introduces the philosophy of the program to at-risk students. The program encourages them to explore their personal interests and define their own road in life.

Roadies talk about their upcoming Roadtrip Nation curriculum and screen footage from the road, all in an effort to inspire students with their own personal stories of success. They host onstage interviews with local leaders who share stories about their journey to success. Former Major League pitcher Jim Abbott, Louisiana State Representative Ted James, New York Times writer George Vecsey, Complex Magazine marketing executive LaToya Shambo, are among many who will participate in the tour and speak with the students.

The organization airs an educational TV documentary series that features preselected students and jobseekers, as they embark on a cross-country journey aboard Roadtrip Nation’s green RV. The roadies cold-call and book interviews with accomplished leaders from a diverse range of industries, learning about the obstacles the leaders faced and how they’ve attained success in their respective fields.

“The heart of our program is to allow students to map their interests to future pathways in life,” Mike Marriner, Co-Founder of Roadtrip Nation said in the press release. “We are excited to continue to distribute our curriculum to students who need it most across the country.”

Throughout the curriculum, students connect to an online student community where they can share their projects and connect with like-minded peers who share similar goals from across the country. The University of Southern California recently highlighted Roadtrip Nation as one of the most influential entities transforming education today.

For more information, visit roadtripnation.com and roadtripnation.org.