VIDALIA — For Rachard Singleton, his first year of college wasn’t just about hitting the books. It was about family.

When The Dart found Singleton on Walnut Street in Vidalia Thursday afternoon, he was taking a brief breather in the days between finishing his second semester of classes at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and trying to register for summer classes.

While Singleton said he liked taking online classes for the way he could self-direct learning — “When I graduated high school, I figured that would be the last day I sat in a school desk,” he said — the online classes allowed him another freedom, to focus on family.

During his first year in college, Singleton, 19, did more than just study. He stayed home and cared for his grandfather, Clarence Singleton, who has Alzheimer’s Disease.

His grandfather has played a major role in his life, Rachard said, and had drawn close to him after his father died when he was just 7. After family members felt like the care Clarence was getting in an institution wasn›t up to standards, Rachard said he agreed to help care for his grandfather.

“I feel like I owe it to him,” he said. “We were really inseparable when my dad died.”

Days follow a pretty simple routine — Rachard helps Clarence get up, eat breakfast, take his medicine, clean up and change his clothes. Lunch and more medicine follow later in the day, as do the evening meal and bedtime.

School reading can be done during the week, but the actual writing and completion of online assignments is saved for the weekend, when others are around, Rachard said.

The next big move for school is deciding a major, he said.

“Everyone says I should consider something medical,” Rachard said. “I don’t know if I want to take that many science classes, though.”

But for now, he’s glad to be able to study and help his grandfather at the same time, no matter what classes he’s taking.

“I feel important in his life, doing this,” Rachard said. “And he’s been important to me.”