There are 40 miles between Hilton Head and Ridgeland. For Andre, that drive is not routine. It is sacred. Every Monday he gets in his car and heads toward the prison, praying along the way and asking God one simple question: How can I show up well today?

“I am still trying to figure that out,” he says, reflecting on a life marked by hard work, risk, and seasons of change. Raised in McBee, South Carolina, John attended high school in Hartsville and later Clemson University. In the years that followed, his path was anything but linear. He started a men’s shirt company that saw both success and failure.

🎨 It’s not about pencils or paper. It’s about presence. There’s no spotlight. No stage. Just a simple lesson. It often ends with a rustle of papers, a laugh about how “This isn’t anyone’s future career,” and a cheerful goodbye. From the outside, it may seem like an insignificant blip in the week.