"Being nice translates to
accepting each person for his or
her individual worth. It disturbs
me that some still decide that
certain people are not worth
bothering with simply because
of their socio-economic class,
job title or national origin.
Everyone has value." 

"Think Big"

1995: Ben Carson, M.D.
The ingredients for failure were in place. The time—the early 1950s. The place—Detroit, Michigan. Benjamin Carson’s mother was a single parent without means. But the “inevitable” never happened. Benjamin’s mother took charge. She discouraged television watching and instilled in him a desire to read. He went from the bottom of his class in the fifth grade to the head of his class in the seventh grade. As his appetite for reading grew, a dream began to take place. He would become a missionary doctor and travel to far places to care for the sick and disabled. In time the dream was revised but in no way diminished. Avid reading of the magazine, Psychology Today, led to a keen interest in the human brain. This fascination plus his exceptional eye-hand coordination turned his dream from missionary medicine to neurosurgery. Life became focused and success in school continued. After graduating from Yale University, he studied medicine at the University of Michigan. Dr. Carson is now an associate professor and Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, M.D. He is engaged in the development of new surgical techniques and performs delicate, complicated operations requiring intense concentration and uncommon skill. Still, he is able to devote time to writing, having authored three successful books— Gifted Hands, Think Big, The Ben Carson Story, Today’s Heroes Series, and The Big Picture —and to public speaking, especially to youthful audiences. Dr. Carson urges young people to persevere and to believe that their minds will enable them to achieve exceptional goals.