First-Grader With No Hands Wins First National Penmanship Award for Those With Disabilities
- Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:30pm by
Liz Klimas
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Annie Clark (Photo: Larry Roberts/Pittsburg Post-Gazette)
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (The Blaze/AP) — A Pittsburgh-area girl born without hands has won a penmanship award — and $1,000 — from a company that publishes language arts and reading textbooks.
Zaner-Bloser Inc. recognized 7-year-old Annie Clark at Wilson Christian Academy in West Mifflin on Wednesday with its first-ever Nicholas Maxim Award.
Nicholas Maxim was a Maine fifth-grader born without hands or lower arms who entered the company’s penmanship contest last year. His work impressed judges enough that they created a new category for students with disabilities.
After the ceremony Wednesday, Clark demonstrated her ability to write by manipulating a pencil between her forearms. Asked whether she was nervous about the attention, the girl said, “Not really, but kind of.”
Watch this footage (via USA Today) of Clark receiving the award and showing off just how she writes without hands:
The girl’s parents, Tom and Mary Ellen Clark, have nine children — three biological and six adopted from China, including Annie. Annie is one of four of the adoptees who have disabilities that affect their hands or arms. The Clarks also have an adopted child, Alyssa, 18, and a biological daughter, Abbey, 21, with Down syndrome.
“Each time, we weren’t looking to adopt a special-needs child, but that is what happened,” said Mary Ellen Clark, 48, of McKeesport. “This was the family God wanted for us.”
Annie has learned to paint, draw and color. She also swims, dresses, eats meals and opens cans of soda by herself, and uses her iPod touch and computers without assistance. She hopes to someday write books about animals.
The Pittsburg Post-Gazette has more from Annie about the success she’s had in handwriting:
When Annie spoke with reporters, she explained her handwriting technique, which includes capital letters at the beginning of sentences and punctuation at the end. “I think about doing words and spelling,” she explained, adding that she has “learned to go slow.”
“She’s an amazing little girl,” said Tom Clark, 49, who owns an automotive dealership. “It’s a shame because society places so many rules on how people should look, but the minds of these kids are phenomenal.”
Mary Ellen Clark hopes the award encourages her daughter “that she can do anything.”
The Post-Gazette stated that Annie’s school places an emphasis on proper penmanship, even in an age when many are shifting to digital technology and typepads. The Post-Gazette explained that all students grades 1-8 are encouraged to submit their samples to the Zaner-Bloser competition. Annie’s was chosen among the first graders with a letter to event organizers about her disability. From there the organizers, submitted the writing sample for the award specifically for children with disabilities.
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LeadNotFollow
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 10:36pm…
Report Post »Absolutely adorable little girl.
bankerpapaw
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 5:32pmGood for you, Annie!! When she grows up, she will have the pride to not depend on foodstamps,
Report Post »free cell phone and government housing. This is a good reason for the Forty-Niners to get off their
lazy butts and pull their own weight, just like Annie is doing.
so3
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 3:47pmThat’s good stuff…
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 11:28amI am so proud of that little girl. May God Bless her for her accomplishments. Love you, Annie
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 6:35amHow many were in the Competition? — How many at that age have no hands?
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:32pmSorry, little girl is a Patriot.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:29pmThat little guy is a Patriot
Report Post »GeeWhiz
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:24pmIf she doesn’t let this get in her way at 8, imagine what she’ll be doing at 20.
Go, girl!
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 11:12pmWhat an inspiration to us all . Day after day , we read awful news stories about our country , the wars and fighting throughout the world . She brought a bright ray of sunshine to us all .
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:46pm.
Report Post »Shine little one…….
1956
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:30pmGod bless this precious child! And God bless the parents as well! It appears the only true handicap is our perceptions of what makes a person “whole” or “normal”.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:19pmShe is a little Sweetie
Report Post »cdcats8
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:14pmA disability is in the mind of the beholder and this girl obviously has the drive to be like everyone else. Good for her and she has great folks to help her. I got tickled when she flipped that pencil around to use the eraser. She will do just fine in everything she sets her mind to do.
Report Post »LimaBean
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:13pmLovely story. No hands, but she didn’t let that stop her. She figured out how to do it her way. That’s inspiring.
Report Post »Barbara Tee
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:08pmWonderful! Keep up the outstanding work, Annie & mom.
Report Post »Dalady
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 10:06pmI had to accept handwriting I couldn’t decipher because the students were trying. Standards are being relaxed even more by the dept. of maleducation. Yesterday I watched my 1st grade granddaughter rush through her homework and told her I would not accept her mess if I was the teacher. She assured me it was okay. She’ll probably get a trophy.
Report Post »ADNIL
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 4:06amDept. of Maleducation….about sums it up. I spent years attempting to teach physically able, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students remedial writing. Their writing was similar to first grade students and most were unable to compose a coherent sentence. (WTF had they been doing with these kids the previous years????) The school department expected me to do this in 15 minutes per week but never required the student to do written assignments for class, because after all, they were unable to write. Right? Small wonder why.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:54pmGood job, sweetie pie! (I flunked penmanship in 2nd grade)
Report Post »Zeke48
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:54pmI think the sad part is your comment
Report Post »Fubar Frog
Posted on April 20, 2012 at 9:38amAre you chastizing your own comments, or is there someone in the room with you?
Report Post »Zeke48
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:52pmThat tells us a lot
Report Post »OlefromMN
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:50pmThis little girl is truly inspirational. Just think of how many of us able bodied people are afraid to take on challenges, let alone overcome them with such confidence. Her opportunities will be many.
Report Post »Zeke48
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:49pmGod Bless this little girl, I wish I could give her one of mine.
Report Post »Patriot Z
Posted on April 19, 2012 at 9:46pmThe saddest part, is not that she was born without hands…but that her penmanship is neater than mine…..
Report Post »