Helen Keller
Nori Ness
Helen Keller is well known because she was deaf and blind since the age of two, but she overcame many obstacles in life, such as learning how to read and write.
Important Facts That Lead To Helen's Success
1. At the age of seven, Helen persevered through her disabilities and with the help of her teacher, Annie Sullivan, learned sign language. If Helen had not learned sign language, she would not have comprehended the world.
2. Helen was eager to learn and visited the Perkins Institution for the Blind in 1888 where she furthered her learning and became known.
3. After years of preparing for Radcliffe University, Helen was accepted into the top women's college in the United States in 1899. She graduated with top honors in the June of 1904.
Important People and Things to Helen
Annie Sullivan
Annie taught Helen sign language and Braille. Without Annie, Helen would never have comprehended or understood the world.
Water
"Water" was the first word Helen ever fully understood in sign language.
Literature
"Literature" opened up the world to Helen, and once she was introduced to it, she saw everything in a different light.
Interesting Facts
1. Annie Sullivan taught Helen sign language by spelling the words in her hands. If Helen spelled the word back to her, Annie would give Helen the object that was spelled. Water was the first word Helen fully understood in sign language.
2. In 1890, Helen learned how to speak. She would touch her teacher's mouth as it moved while she spoke. Helen picked it up quickly and was eventually able to speak and understand what other people were saying even though she was deaf and blind.
3. After graduating from Radcliffe College, Helen gave many inspirational speeches about her life.
4. In 1903, Helen also published "The Story of My Life," a biography about the struggles she faced as a child and how she overcame them.
5. Helen Keller traveled all around the world after World War II ended, and met with blind soldiers. She inspired them and gave them hope.
Life Lessons
After reading about Helen Keller's life, I learned to never give up no matter what and to persevere through the hardest of times because good things are to come if you give it your all.