Love, Faith, and a Door Opened: Logan’s Journey to Possibility

At St. Augustine High School, the halls echo with the sound of ambition, determination, and the unwavering faith of those who walk them. But perhaps no footsteps have walked those halls with more quiet courage and purpose than Logan’s.

Logan is a freshman, and like many boys his age, he's still figuring himself out. But his story is anything but ordinary. Raised by his grandmother, affectionately known as Sweet Tea, and his father, Logan has been on a path marked by deep love, resilience, and quiet strength. His mother remains incarcerated, and his father, a single parent, has been caring for him since infancy. Sweet Tea stepped in not just as a grandparent but as the steady maternal presence he needed, a role she wears with both humility and pride.

"I’m not his mother," Sweet Tea says, her voice tinged with love and truth. "But at the end of the day, I am his mother figure."

At 15, Logan is now beginning to truly understand his story. As a younger child, differences might blur, but as a teenager, they come into sharper focus. He knows his life looks different from many of his classmates. And yet, Sweet Tea reminds him constantly: “Who are you without a story? This is your story.”

Logan has faced challenges, among them being diagnosed with ADHD in sixth grade. Those early middle school years brought struggles with behavior and fitting in, especially in classrooms that didn’t fully understand his needs. There were difficult moments, times when he didn't feel seen or understood. But Sweet Tea, a community social worker who serves the homeless population, knew how to fight for him. She reminded him daily: “This diagnosis doesn’t define you. It’s just part of your journey. You’re still going to do great things.” And now, he is.

At St. Augustine, Logan has blossomed. His grades have soared, earning him a place on the school’s honor roll. His behavior has transformed. He’s joined the Media and Technology Club, and while he decided to take a break from baseball, a sport he’s played since he was eight, he may return next year, perhaps ready to balance both interests.

He was recently accepted into the TRIO Talent Search Program, which supports students with academic guidance and preparation for college. Logan dreams of a future in cybersecurity or engineering. He's even considering ROTC, thinking ahead to the Air Force or Navy.

Sweet Tea beams when she talks about his transformation. “He’s matured so much. He’s becoming a leader. He’s not the same boy he was just a year ago.”

Faith has been their compass through it all. Sundays spent in church, reflections on sermons, and heartfelt conversations about life’s bigger picture ground Logan in a sense of purpose. Sweet Tea always tells him, “Everything you go through now is going to mean something later. Nothing is wasted. God will use all of it.”

The Arete scholarship has been nothing short of life-changing. For Sweet Tea and her son, affording tuition without support would have felt nearly impossible. “My mom helped when my older sons went here. But now she’s gone, and it’s just us. When we found out about the scholarship, I said, Lord, thank you. It’s a blessing.”

With the scholarship, Logan can attend the school that has molded generations of their family: his father, uncle, and cousins are all proud alumni. “I told him, ‘You don’t have to look far to see what this school produces. And now, you’re part of that legacy.’”

Sweet Tea is especially moved when thinking about the donors who make this possible. “I wish I could write to every one of them and let them know what this means to us. It’s not just money, it’s a door. A door that opened for my grandson to walk through with pride. And when he grows up, he’ll know to hold the door open for someone else.”

She teaches Logan the same values she lives by: compassion, service, and humility. Whether it’s helping someone in need or just offering a listening ear, Sweet Tea reminds him: “It’s not always about money. Sometimes the greatest gift is presence and kindness.”

Logan’s story is one of love over circumstance, of a young man becoming who he’s meant to be, shaped by a school that believes in him, a family that surrounds him with unwavering support, and a community that sees potential and chooses to invest in it.

And as Sweet Tea looks to the future, her hopes are simple but powerful: “I want to see him finish strong. I want to see him graduate. And I want to see him give back, just like he’s been given.”

Logan's story proves that when love, faith, and a chance come together, they have the power to transform a life completely.