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Molly Burks speaking at We Day in Toronto, Canada
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A. Scan the article. When did Molly lose her sight?
B. Skim the article. What made Molly join Me to We?
C. Talk with a partner. How do you think Molly overcame her problem of being bullied?
VISION OF HOPE
Molly Burke started losing her sight when she was four years old. Doctors said that she had a rare eye disease that would slowly take away her vision completely. Therefore, in first grade, she learned to read Braille, a writing system for those with weakened or damaged vision. In seventh grade, things got worse. Soon, Molly couldn't see the blackboard.
As her vision faded, Molly started using a cane to help her walk. This embarrassed her friends, and then the bullying began. Molly once broke her ankle and had to use crutches to help her walk. A group of girls took the blind 14-year-old down a hill. They smashed Molly's crutches against a tree and ran away.
After high school, Molly looked for ways to assist people. She discovered Me to We, an organization that has been helping people through volunteering and developing leadership skills. She joined the organization and spoke at a girls' school in Kenya.
Molly has been speaking to schools all over the United States and Canada about bullying. Her father said, "Molly has a real ability to inspire people and to help others who are going through something, whether it's a disability, or bullying, or a different set of challenges."
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