Anaya Ellick was born without both of her hands, but that didn't stop her from winning a national penmanship award this month.

The 7-year-old Virginia first grader, who does not use prosthetics, was awarded this year's Nicholas Maxim Special Award for Excellence in Manuscript Penmanship. 

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The Zaner-Bloser sponsored award is named for another student, also born without hands, who was honored for his remarkable handwriting in 2011.

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According to Anaya's mother, Bianca Middleton, Anaya writes by holding a pencil between her arms, then standing up to achieve the proper angle with the paper. And her independence doesn't stop with penmanship — it's clear that Anaya has no room for any lowered expectations.

"She ties her shoes, she gets dressed by herself and she doesn’t need any assistance to do anything,” Middleton told a local ABC affiliate.

You go, girl.

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