'The little school that could' had a huge impact

We are in the midst of graduation season, a graced time filled with memories as well as possibilities.

One of the truly heartwarming things the archdiocesan Department of Catholic Education and Faith Formation has done in recent years has been to honor the memories of Catholic education through the lives of its outstanding graduates.

Late last month, 55 “distinguished alumni” of Catholic schools – nominated by their respective schools – were recognized by Archbishop Gregory Aymond for living out the faith their Catholic school had nurtured.

Some of the gray-haired honorees were more “seasoned” than Jalen Johnson, 22, but if you need to understand the impact a small Catholic school can make on someone’s life, the business management senior at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette is a good place to start.

Money was tight in his family’s household after Katrina, but Johnson’s mother, Kasey Mogilles, a cosmetologist, was determined to give her son the best education possible.

Whatever it took.

She looked at St. Benedict the Moor School, a tiny, free-tuition Catholic school in Pontch­artrain Park established by benefactors who had seen the value of Catholic education in their own lives and who wanted to share that launching pad to success with others.

In lieu of tuition, parents at St. Benedict the Moor are asked to volunteer as aides or handymen and handywomen so that the small teaching staff can do its job of passing on academic knowledge and the treasures of the Catholic faith.

“When Jalen was there, I kept saying that the kids needed some time to get out there and run at lunch time, but the school didn’t have enough staff because the teachers and the assistants had to eat their lunch,” Mogilles said. “We decided to create a schedule where parents would take time off work to volunteer whenever recess was. It ended up being a good little situation. Jalen loved it there.”

After graduating from St. Benedict the Moor in fourth grade, Jalen went on to a public middle school and then for a year at St. Augustine High School before completing his high school career at Archbishop Rummel.

In December, he will graduate from the University of Louisiana with the dream of entering law school.

“At first, I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon because I wanted to do something related to sports,” Jalen said. “But then I took a few career assessments and did some deep reflection, and I changed my major to business to keep my options open.”

He built a strong relationship with one of his business law professors, Chase Edwards.

“He’s the one that really put the whole idea in my head about law school,” Jalen said.  “We had a long talk about what law school could do for me and how I would be a good fit. He’s not a traditional teacher. He’s a teacher who breaks down real-life situations and scenarios. He doesn’t sugar-coat anything. He’s going to give it to you straight.”

Which is what Jalen got at St. Benedict the Moor.

“St. Benedict did a lot for me,” he said. “It molded me into the man I am today, especially in academics and how I think about certain things in the world. Even though I was very young, it taught me how to use my mind. I wouldn’t say it taught me to be different but to be myself and stay in my own lane and do what I had to do in order to succeed. It feels like a family over there – very, very comfortable.”

Jalen prided himself on doing the right thing when no one else was looking.

“I was never a troublemaker,” he said, laughing. “The only time I was going to the principal’s office was to get checked out of school or probably to receive an award or something.”

Jalen thrived in a glorious bubble, soaking up the values of an institution that he knew cared about him. He also knew that doing the right thing at school would mean a lot to his mother, who lived out the meaning of sacrifice in her own life.

“My mom did a good job hiding the financial aspect from me in showing me that she was strong in doing what she had to do,” Jalen said. “She made it seem all smooth, and sometimes it may not have been so smooth.”

The lessons he learned at St. Benedict went far beyond textbooks.

“It comes down to building character and building students up, no matter what they’re going through,” Jalen said. “The teachers at St. Benedict had a great approach for different situations.”

And now, he hears his mother’s voice, urging him to stay strong and compete.

“That’s always been my mother’s goal, to make sure she helped me pick schools that would be good for me and make me become a better man and a better human being overall,” Jalen said.

“He’s a God-fearing leader,” Mogilles said of her son. He loves God, and he loves helping people. I’m so proud of him because he’s always striving to do his best. It’s hard to stay focused, and he stayed focused.”

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