Born June 27 1880 Died June 1 1968

Born: June 27, 1880 Died: June 1, 1968 HELEN KELLER By: Allison Buttars and Candy Castellanos Rubio

Challenges Early On • Helen Keller suffered a severe illness early in her life. • Her mother noticed something was terribly wrong when Helen wouldn’t answer to the dinner bell. • At just 19 months, as a result to the illness, she became both deaf and blind.

• When she was young, Helen often threw temper tantrums and was very hard to control. • Her parents, desperate for help, hired Anne Sullivan to teach Helen. • On April 5 th 1887, a miracle happened. Helen understood the hand gestures in her hand were spelling out the word W-A-T-E-R. • Ever since then Helen loved to learn. She caught on very quickly and soon could communicate with others.

Learning • Helen valued education. • At the age of ten, Helen had mastered braille as well as the manual alphabet and had learned to use a type writer. • In 1903 she had written the first of her books titled ‘The Story of My Life. ’ • In 1904 she graduated from Radcliffe College. She became the first blind- deaf person to graduate college with a Bachelors of Arts Degree.

Braille Alphabet

Helen Keller’s Graduation Picture. Helen Keller graduated in the year of 1904.

Helping Others • Helen fought for the rights of education for the disabled. • In 1921 the American Foundation of the Blind was organized. • Helen became a spokesman and raised money by traveling and giving lectures. • She visited 39 countries around the world for the improvement of education for handicap people.

• Helen visited disabled veterans in military hospitals around the country. This was during and after World War II. It brought veterans comfort, support, and encouragement. • She fought for what she thought was right. She visited a sweat shop and was reaffirmed that her political stands were right. She said that she may not have been able to see or hear what was going on but she could sure smell it!

• “I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do. ” – Helen Keller.

Example To Us All • Helen Keller lived a very fulfilling life. Even though she had many challenges she didn’t let that stop her. She once said “I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. ” • If Helen Keller can graduate college and do all the amazing things she did then we can make it through our challenges and graduate college.