Today, it’s my privilege to present an award to a student who we believe has used his or her talent to the fullest. We have named our award the Helen Keller Scholarship to honor extraordinary accomplishment in the face of severe handicaps.
Imagine becoming blind, deaf and mute before you were two years old. That’s what happened to Helen Keller as the result of a serious illness when she was nineteen months old.
Fortunately, Helen’s parents took her to Alexander Graham Bell when she was about six, and he recommended a teacher, Miss Anne Sullivan, (1)______________________________. With the constant instruction and devoted companionship of Miss Sullivan, Helen was able to use her talents to the fullest.
She learned to read, write, and speak and eventually graduated from Radcliffe College with honors. Her education and training represent an almost impossible achievement for a person so handicapped. (2)________________________________, and she subsequently devoted her life to their welfare. She wrote many books and articles and lectures about her life. (3)_________________________________