Homeless student heads to Harvard University

LAWNDALE, NC (KTRK) -- From homeless to Harvard -- a student in North Carolina defies all odds.

Dawn Loggins, 17, moved from school to school as her parents struggled to hold down jobs and then came home one day to find they had abandoned her. She supported herself with a job as the school custodian.

Now, she's headed to Harvard University, where all of her tuition and expenses will be taken care of. Loggins says her success in the classroom got her through the tough times.

"It took my mind off everything else that was happening. When I was doing my homework i didn't have to think about other things," she said. "I had a goal, and I focused on it. And when I got it done, I felt accomplished."

Loggins plans to study biology in Cambridge and has started a charity to help other homeless teens.

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