'I like to challenge myself': 9-year-old born without hands wins national writing award

Anaya Ellick never gives up. 

The 9-year-old from Virginia first made headlines three years ago, for winning national award for penmanship. An amazing achievement in of itself, it was made even more impressive by the fact that Anaya was born without hands. 

The tenacious youngster taught herself to write with her arms.

"I like to challenge myself," she tells local media. "If people said I could not do it, I would tell them that I could do it." 

Now in the third grade, Anaya has made headlines again, this time for winning a nation-wide award for joint writing, the prestigious Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest.

Anaya says that she loves drawing  "flowers and people" and that she practises writing in her spare time or when she's "bored." 

Not only is she an inspiration to her fellow class mates but she also inspires the adults in her life. 

"She's just really inspired me to work harder. I look at her and she never says I can't do it, she never makes an excuse." her teacher says. 

Her parents are also "proud" of her achievement. A stunning example of a girl that refuses to give up.