Bonnie St. John
Encyclopedia
Bonnie St. John is the first African-American to win medals in Winter Paralympic competition as a ski racer. In the 1984 Winter Paralympics
in Innsbruck, Austria, St. John won a bronze medal in the slalom, a bronze medal in the giant slalom, and was awarded a silver medal for overall performance thereby earning her the distinction of being the second fastest woman in the world on one leg in that year.
At the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Utah
, St. John was asked to speak during the opening ceremonies.
Due to a condition called pre-femoral focal disorder, St. John had her right leg amputated above the knee when she was 5 years old. Despite this challenge, she went on to excel as an athlete, a scholar, a mother and a businesswoman. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University
in 1986, St. John won a Rhodes Scholarship
to Oxford University where she earned her M.Litt. degree in economics in 1990. She worked in the White House during the Clinton administration as a Director for the National Economic Council
, and is currently CEO of Courageous Spirit, Inc.
St. John has written and published four books: Succeeding Sane, Getting Ahead at Work and Money: Fall Down? Get Up! and How Strong Women Pray.
In February 2007, as part of the celebration of Black History Month
, St. John was honored at the White House by President George W. Bush
who said: "[Bonnie St. John] is the kind of person that you really want to be around, and the kind of person that shows that individual courage matters in life."
St. John was featured on a nationwide Starbucks
beverage cup with the quote "I was ahead in the slalom. But in the second run, everyone fell on a dangerous spot. I was beaten by a woman that got up faster than I did. I learned that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster."
NBC Nightly News
selected St. John as "One of the five most inspiring women in America". She has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America
, CNN
, Montel
and the Discovery Health Channel
. Leading publications, such as The New York Times
and People have profiled St. John and noted her extraordinary achievements.
1984 Winter Paralympics
The 1984 Winter Paralympic Games, were the third Winter Paralympics. They were held from 14 to 20 January 1984 in Innsbruck, Austria. They were the first Winter Games organized by the International Co-ordinating Committee , which was formed on March 15, 1982 in Leysin, Switzerland. These Games were...
in Innsbruck, Austria, St. John won a bronze medal in the slalom, a bronze medal in the giant slalom, and was awarded a silver medal for overall performance thereby earning her the distinction of being the second fastest woman in the world on one leg in that year.
At the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, St. John was asked to speak during the opening ceremonies.
Due to a condition called pre-femoral focal disorder, St. John had her right leg amputated above the knee when she was 5 years old. Despite this challenge, she went on to excel as an athlete, a scholar, a mother and a businesswoman. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1986, St. John won a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
to Oxford University where she earned her M.Litt. degree in economics in 1990. She worked in the White House during the Clinton administration as a Director for the National Economic Council
National Economic Council
The National Economic Council of the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering economic policy matters, separate from matters relating to domestic policy, which are the domain of the Domestic Policy Council...
, and is currently CEO of Courageous Spirit, Inc.
St. John has written and published four books: Succeeding Sane, Getting Ahead at Work and Money: Fall Down? Get Up! and How Strong Women Pray.
In February 2007, as part of the celebration of Black History Month
Black History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
, St. John was honored at the White House by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
who said: "[Bonnie St. John] is the kind of person that you really want to be around, and the kind of person that shows that individual courage matters in life."
St. John was featured on a nationwide Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
beverage cup with the quote "I was ahead in the slalom. But in the second run, everyone fell on a dangerous spot. I was beaten by a woman that got up faster than I did. I learned that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners just get up faster."
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
selected St. John as "One of the five most inspiring women in America". She has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Montel
Montel
- People :*Blanche Montel , French actress*Eugène Montel , French politician*Patrick Montel, French sport journalist*Paul Montel , French mathematician*Pierre Montel , French politician...
and the Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel is a website owned by Discovery Communications, created for people interested in health and wellness. Until December 31, 2010, it was a U.S. cable television specialty channel dedicated to television programming that highlights various aspects of health and wellness...
. Leading publications, such as The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and People have profiled St. John and noted her extraordinary achievements.
External links
- Interview with Bonnie St. John on "How Strong Women Pray" by ReadTheSpirit.com