【推荐1】My mother, Donzella Washington, 80, graduated from Alabama A&M University on Dec.6 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. Along with her ________achievements, she made history as the oldest ________ in the history of Alabama A&M University.

What ________ me most was the challenge my mother had accepted to ________ her stuttering (口吃) problem, which ultimately ________ her to begin taking speech classes more than a decade ago.

My parents had been living on a farm in California. My mother said that her ________ behind going back to school was my father, Jeff, who was her biggest ________. He was my mother’s No.1 fan. He supported everything she did, _________returning to school. Although my father did not have a traditional college education, he knew the ________ of gaining one. My mother wanted to finish her ________ in his honor.

However, my father ________ in 2010, and my mother ________ to Alabama to live with me two years later. The most challenging part was ________ her when she was missing my father badly. Those moments when she cried, all I could do was hold her and love her. I had seen my mother ________ from great sadness over my father’s death and ________ to achieve her education dream. And I was very ________ to be there to witness her final success.

Now, my mother says she is not slowing down so soon. She’s even ________ going back to school to obtain her master’s degree. She ________ to inspire and motivate others that. ________ is not a barrier. When it comes to ________ our dreams, it’s never too late to achieve them.