Thursday, April 19, 2012

China Adoptee Wins Penmanship Award

And this is news because?  Remarkably, she was born without hands:
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 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."

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.
OK, clearly her disability is relevant to the story.  Is her adopted status?  The disability status of her siblings? At least that info didn't appear until the 5th paragraph. . . .

5 comments:

Family Bits said...

Perhaps the person writing the article is trying to emphasize the obstacles the child has faced in life, and yet can still overachieve, and being adopted and from another country is one of those challenges. As for bringing in the siblings to the story, I think that's a matter of the same. In other words, if she can achieve this, what's in store for her siblings? Anything is possible for anyone, so to speak.
I do get tired of articles pointing out that someone is an adoptive parent instead of just a parent, but in this case, I think the person writing the article saw it as relevant to being able to overcome barriers.

Truly Blessed said...

Wow. Way to go, Annie! Her handwriting is better than mine!

The Gang's Momma! said...

I agree with Karen. Further, the several stories that I've read all over the news this week seem to be bringing up family, siblings, adoption, disabilities as a point of celebration of the family as a whole, not just as sweet little Annie's achievement all on her own. I think this article was one of the best I've read for capturing the whole story.

ywilbur said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ywilbur said...

Realized I wrote a whole bunch of nothing, mostly because I'm an adoptive parent to a child with missing limbs who lives near Pittsburgh. I was just tooting my horn and overcome with excitement in learning of them.

I too agree with Karen as to why it is all covered. Of course it also gives story more media interest in Annie, the school, and the company giving out the prize.