Sitting in my grandfather’s worn leather TV chair, I could hear the familiar hum of Irish folk music playing in the background as I put pencil to paper, working on my elementary school campaign speech. I was in fourth grade, running for class Vice President and anxious about my upcoming speech. So, like most nights spent at my grandparents’ house, I turned to him for help. I sat there in his chair, gripping my pencil, struggling to find the right words. How could I possibly write something convincing enough to earn the votes of my entire grade? I wrote a sentence, erased it, and tried again. Each attempt felt worse than the last. My anxiety grew, imagining standing in front of my classmates, worried my voice would shake or my words would come out wrong. I had always looked up to my grandfather, Patrick Golden, especially in an academic sense. His stories of studying at the seminary and later attending law school fascinated me, but it was his work as a state prosecutor that truly inspired me. The way he spoke about justice, argument, and persuasion sparked something in me early on. Those stories stayed with me through middle school and into high school, motivating me to join Mock Trial and compete at state competitions in Los Angeles. To me, he was not just my grandfather—he was the person I wanted to emulate. In classic grandfather fashion, he clasped his hands in his lap, leaned back slightly, and gave me a calm, smile. “Pretend you’re telling a story,” he said. “Storytelling is in your blood, Anya. We are a family of people whose greatest skill is using our voice. Use that passion.” At the time, I nodded as if I fully understood, though I’m not sure I did. Looking back I think it is a little funny to compare generations of storytelling to my fourth grade campaign speech. Nonetheless it gave me the confidence I needed, and I went on to win VP and President the following year. Throughout my life my grandfather has continued to grow my love of storytelling and the pride I have for my heritage. His ways of connecting family history and folklore inspire my creative writing. I am taking an AP writing class this year and even use my love of storytelling in the articles I write for the school newspaper. The reminder that storytelling is in my blood has given me a confidence for public speaking as it makes me feel I am making my ancestors proud, trying to use my voice in. Since then my grandfather has continued to be my biggest supporter and inspiration in my academic pursuit. Storytelling is a central part of Irish culture, a way of preserving history, sharing wisdom, and bringing people together. Through him, that tradition became personal. Something about the what he said that day, that something I do could be so much bigger than just me and connect me to my ancestors has continued to give me confidence and drive in all of the writing, creativity, and public speaking I do. Years later, I joined Mock Trial in high school, I realized just how much that moment—and my grandfather’s advice—had shaped me. Standing in a courtroom setting, delivering opening statements, questioning witnesses, and constructing arguments felt strangely familiar. Mock Trial isn’t just about memorizing facts or following legal procedures; it’s about persuasion, storytelling, and connecting with an audience. Every case we build is, at its core, a narrative. In all, my grandfather has inspired and fostered my love of learning and storytelling throughout my life.