Graduating senior realizes the importance of family

West River Academy's High School Diploma Program requires students to write an educational biography detailing their years of learning and then to submit monthly reports on their learning activities. Here is an excerpt from a report that came in today:

"A very important part of this month was my being able to finally visit my grandfather, Paw Paw. He has been in hospice care for the past couple of months. My family was unable to visit him though, due to scheduling problems. So when spring break approached we were finally able to take a week off to visit him. He lives in Oklahoma City, and it is difficult for our family to schedule trips when we can all go. I will remember this trip for the rest of my life. My grandfather is losing his eyesight and is mostly deaf. He is also unable to walk, and is in a wheelchair. The only way he really knows who we are is through sound or feeling. We all spent time holding his hands; my grandmother says it helps him feel safe. My siblings took turns playing the piano for him, and I knew then that those hours would be some of the last memories I would have with him. As I sat there and held his hand, looking into his eyes, I realized that in this life the only thing that really matters is family. Despite our living far away, because we are family we are bonded by a love that keeps us close. Looking around the nursing home, I could see many other faces of people with no family there, and then I would look at how happy my grandparents were for us to be there, and I realized that no matter where we go, I will always love them because they are my grandparents.
    "While we were in Oklahoma City, we also visited many other places. One of the most prominent places is the Oklahoma Science Museum. As a child, my parents took me to this museum almost every week. It is better than I remember. They have added countless new exhibits and the old ones have been well kept. My little siblings were running from one thing to another, they had too many things to see and too little time! It was incredible to see their new found interest in science, and it sparked mine as well. I remembered how curious of the world I was as a child, and it was very touching to see the innocent and curious nature of a child’s mind. It was a very educational trip. The Oklahoma Science Museum is packed with exhibits that educate and challenge the mind. From math to science to history, it covers nearly anything you can think of. The best thing about the museum is everything is hands on. Their motto is “Please Touch,” which is fantastic, because the best way for children to learn is for them to try things themselves. Throughout my first two years of high school, I was trying to educate myself because my teachers told me to. These past two years of home schooling, I have been trying to regain my thirst for knowledge. This museum has definitely helped spark my curiosity with science and I hope to take that with me to college next year."