1 . My 88-year-old grandfather and I are both starting 2022 as new college graduates. He was _______ to continue school because he got married and started a _______ in the 1950s. Over the next few decades, he managed to _______his roles as a husband, a father of five, working at a local bank and taking a college class here and there.

Our higher _______ journey together at Palo Alto College began in 2016. I had just _______ from high school then and my grandfather, 82, was _______ to take classes to make his lifelong dream of earning his bachelor’s degree become a _______. In 2017, we were both _______ into the University of Texas at San Antonio.

We would have lunch together and work _______ side-by-side in the library. There were also many times when I __________ him to school in my car. That was really special because I could always __________ him and shout out my grandpa was here.

When COVID-19 broke out __________, my grandfather asked for leave from school. I often __________ him with his schoolwork online.

Over the past year, his health has continued to __________ and he now has difficulty speaking. As graduation day __________ in December, my family and I __________ university officials to approve of my grandfather having a degree of recognition. We had the __________ that he could have that memory before his death.

My grandfather was worried he would steal the show from my graduation moment when I told him we were graduating together. I told him this is our moment and that I want to __________ it with him. I’m so __________ and proud that I was able to have this moment with him.

I __________ my grandfather’s lifelong passion of learning and his strong wills.