Blind Student Wows at Tri-Valley Middle School

An 8th grader is walking the halls of Tri-Valley Middle School but he’s living without something most of us take for granted every single day.

Logan is a normal teen except for the fact he’s blind.

"I think everyone’s initial reaction in the beginning is nervousness. Nobody wants to say the wrong thing or make a mistake, but as soon as you know Logan, you know that everything is fine. He’s an amazing kid, you can joke with him, so there’s really no worries."

Logan and his twin brother Levi were both born premature and suffered retinal bleeding. Logan’s being more severe. Teacher’s say Logan is a prankster so they’re always watchful of his jokes.

"Here at school I usually have someone help me around, getting me around the place. I know most of it, but some of it I don’t know. I have help getting around sometimes."

Attending a normal middle school does take some work. Since brail text books can cost upwards of $1,000. An aide types up all of Logan’s reading assignments in brail and loads them into his brail note.

"It has pins that pop up and make the dots and I read it," explained Logan Spinks."

For classes that are more visual like math a teacher sits with Logan and tells him what’s on the board. He then types in brail.

"That machine is a brail writer. And it’s a much bigger machine. It’s kind of like a typewriter," said Logan.

Tim Shumaker taught Logan in seventh grade math. He said, "He seemed like other students really. The things that were difficult in math and were challenging to algebra in the 7th grade he struggled with. The things he already knew or practiced he found easier."

Logan is an algebra one student, has passed every portion of the OAA tests and tested gifted in both math and music. He was recently elected class president of his social studies class. He plays the guitar, piano, sings and plays the trombone in the Tri-Valley Marching Band.

"I listen to it and play it. If you play me something I can play it back."

"I just know that Logan is going to be famous someday. The kid is a dynamic little superstar so get his autograph now. He’s either going to be a famous singer or something with technology. He’ll be amazing."