Annie Clark Adapted to her Disability and Succeeded

I want to tell you the story of Annie Clark.  She was born with no hands.  And in order to live like other kids, she had to learn how to write somehow.  This was very difficult, as you could expect, because she had no hands.  But she found a way by wedging the pencil between the ends of her arms.  

Annie, through hours of practicing, finally dominated the penmanship skills of her classmates.  She was the best of her classmates at writing.  Her teacher entered her writing into a school contest, then a state competition.  She was awarded the Nicholas Maxim award and a cash prize of $1000, along with a trophy this week.

Annie can also operate an iPad touch, ride a bike, swim and even paint her own toenails.  She hasn’t let her lack of hands keep her from doing what she wants.  She just has to try harder than kids with hands do.  Annie’s father said, “Annie has always been very, very determined, very self-sufficient in dressing herself and feeding herself.  She is just determined that there’s nothing she can’t do.”

I tried to imagine how she did it by putting my elbows together.  I can’t even pick up a pen!  How does she write like that?  After my Mom put the pen in the elbow spot, I still could only make chicken scratches, and that was a terrific effort!  I challenge you to try it too.

You can do anything no matter what difficulties you face.   by Geoffrey, age 9

To learn more about Annie, see:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/first-grader-without-hands-wins-award-for-writing-632011/?p=2