Maine student born without hands honored for penmanship

By Nina Raja, CNN

April 7, 2011 -- Updated 1026 GMT (1826 HKT)

Boy with no hands wins handwriting award

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Fifth grader gets special award from publisher
• National contest will now have category named after him
• Maine boy was born without hands or lower arms

(CNN) -- Born without hands and lower arms, fifth-grader Nicholas Maxim received a unique award Monday for his participation in Zaner-Bloser's 20th annual National Handwriting Contest.
"We submitted his entry because we felt his penmanship was amazing considering he completes most of his work without using his prostheses," said Cheryl Hasenfus, Readfield Elementary School principal.
At those times, Nicholas writes by holding a pen or pencil between his upper arms.
On behalf of Zaner-Bloser, a publisher of educational materials, Hasenfus presented a trophy to Nicholas during a school assembly for his excellent penmanship. The school is in Readfield, Maine.

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