| It's a big mystery to me why straight people with | | | | Then suddenly I remembered the rare children who |
| diverse handicaps fail to achieve their goals despite all | | | | grew up as great achievers despite their parents and |
| their blood-sweating efforts. It makes think why their | | | | environment. Are the achievements of these great |
| God allows that to happen. That seems cruelty to me. | | | | children recorded in archives anywhere? Probably, but |
| Imagine all the handicaps ambitious children have to go | | | | also probably hard to find. So now I came up with the |
| through when they're in a bad environment with poor | | | | idea of compiling names of such achievers. |
| and bad parents. Just the lack of educational funds | | | | Although it seems weird that the first person in the list |
| would pressure them to stop schooling or drop out. I | | | | is included, I still think he qualifies because he might |
| have always believed in the right training of children | | | | have had a more handicapped way of surviving -in the |
| (nurture) as against their inherent traits (nature). When | | | | wilds then in the city. |
| children grow up ‘bad', it was always the parents | | | | Matt Dahm |
| fault and never the children's. You take away a child of | | | | This published writer was raised by wolves after he |
| immoral parents and put the child in care of responsible | | | | was abandoned as a baby. Need I say more? |
| guardians and he grows up responsible and decent. | | | | Efren Penaflorida |
| You put a child of responsible and moral parents into a | | | | This filipino was named CNN's Hero of the Year 2009 |
| bad environment and the child grows up delinquent. But | | | | out of 9,000 candidates. ‘I grew up really poor.' he |
| now something seems to tell me I'm convinced wrong. | | | | said. ‘My father was a driver and my mother was |
| How about children who grew up with irresponsible | | | | a laundrywoman. When I went to school, I experienced |
| parents and yet became decent achievers? | | | | being mocked, bullied, discriminated against.' He |
| That question occured to me because the wife of a | | | | pioneered a brand of mobile education, or the |
| neighbor of mine who were just squatters just got | | | | "pushcart classroom," for urban poor youth as an |
| pregnant for the 7th time. Now imagine an almost | | | | alternative to gang membership. |
| jobless couple living with seven children in just a one | | | | Do you know anyone we could add to the list? Please |
| small room with no toilet. If the new child manages to | | | | let me know so I could add the name. That would |
| come out alive, all the other siblings will suffer the cost | | | | make this a continuing article. |
| of the scarce food ration and other necessities. | | | | |