European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 10, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A testament to the human spirit by Denise Hamilton the los Angeles times Caesar Duenas sits on the floor of his High school shop class welding two Metal plates together with an acetylene Torch held deftly Between his toes. When he finishes his teacher whistles with appreciation and pronounces the Weld Superior to most he sees at Don Bosco technical Institute a private Catholic boy s High school in Rosemead Calif. The 16-year-old demurs with a shy Grin. Quot i just got Lucky on that one Quot he says. Born without arms Caesar has taught himself to do almost anything with his his feet. His penmanship is neat and precise and he maintains a 3.5 Grade Point average. He runs Cross country and placed second last year in regional two mile Competition using a sideways loping stride to balance himself. This fall he was one of six american students chosen by a Spanish Bank to retrace Christopher Columbus journey by ship from Spain to the dominican Republic. At Home in Monterey Park Calif., he often makes Spaghetti from scratch for 10 people. In a world where Many youngsters never achieve their full potential Caesar has earned the admiration of both his teachers and Peers. A the first couple of weeks i was a Little apprehensive Quot said teacher Ron Mendoza whose class in Thermal analysis requires students to handle heavy machinery and flaming torches. Quot but once i watched him i realized he could do what the other boys could and that he did no to want to be treated any  Caesar who wears his Black hair buzzed Short on the sides and Long on top has the typical teen agers taste for Funk and rap music. He also has a Girlfriend named Sandra whom he met in Madrid last summer. As he sat at Don Bosco s outdoor lunch tables one recent Day eating a Burrito he described a Piranha he saw in the Orinoco River on a recent trip. Quot it was this  he explained. So Lithe Are his movements that it takes a moment to Register that he is sketching the Cannibal fish in the air with his feet. It seems perfectly natural too that Caesar is picking up his Burrito with his feet and chugging an Orange juice the same Way. His friends Haven t noticed in years. Quot Caesar thinks he can do anything Quot said his Mother Leonora. Quot he certainly does t see himself As being held Back in any  his condition called bilateral upper extremity Amelia is rare. Doctors Don t know what causes it but say it s not necessarily genetic and probably would not be passed to readers action Lin Utility tax Relief expanding in Germany a my question is whether or not tax Relief from the German value added tax Mehrer Steuer is available for the various Utility Bills i pay on my privately leased quarters. I read in the stars and stripes about two years ago that a test program was going on somewhere in Usa eur for tax Relief on utilities. I believe the German Utility company Evo allows the tax Relief. I pay to stad Werke which according to my tax Relief office Here in Bamberg will not allow us to apply for the tax Relief. I believe the Gist of the stars and stripes article was that the test program was with companies such As Page 16 b the stars and stripes log Angalo time Caen to Duenas Prapa Raa Tor a social Justice quiz. His own children. When he was 6 months old Caesar s Mother enrolled him in the child amputee prosthetic program at the University of California los Angeles where doctors psychologists social workers and therapists work with children. For awhile Caesar used artificial arms but he never liked them and gave them up at 12. Quot he was a really eager kid always willing to try Quot said Joanna Patton an occupational therapist who worked with Caesar at Urcla. Quot he wanted to be  throughout his life his family a including two Brothers Ages 6 and 8, and a Stepfather a have brainstormed for solutions to difficult problems for Caesar such As How to open doors Caesar uses his Chin and How to get dressed velcro fasteners and Hooks nailed into the Wall provide leverage. A i told him you la figure out a Way and if you need help of course i m Here Quot his Mother said. Quot you have to believe in your children and assist them but not do everything for them a she said. Indeed the boy Learned to write at the same time As his Peers Hie was using scissors by age 4. He won Over Myca administrators who worried that he would drown and Learned to swim like a fish. But society can be cruel. A librarian would not allow Caesar to flip through books with his feet. An elementary school teacher said it would be unsanitary for him to tap on computer keyboards with his toes. Each time Caesar and his Mother would March into an office and politely insist on the boy s rights. Leonora Duenas herself a former elementary school teacher now teaches employees and supervisors at the los Angeles department of water and Power How tothe 16-Yaar-old takas Notas in class. Lot nagato times avoid discrimination. Quot we have prejudices about the disabled and we be been conditioned that we have to take care of them Quot she said. Quot it s a definite societal problem Quot two years ago Don Bosco officials walked when Leonora Duenas asked them to enrol her son in the schools highly regarded College preparatory program that blends academics and technical training. Jerry Waite Dean of technology at Don Bosco said the school worried that without arms Caesar could not handle the Laboratory work involved. But after prodding from his Mother they tested Caesar s physical dexterity. Quot the teacher showed him How to install an electronic Chip into a Board a Waite recalled. Quot then Caesar sat Down and took his shoes off and proceeded to do it with his feet faster than the teacher could with his  a Caesar laughs when he recalls those first Days saying that some overprotective teachers fussed Over him. Quot they did t know if i could get my locker open or carry my books by  one teacher was t sure that Caesar could take notes and offered to let him sit at the front of the class and use her tape recorder. He politely declined. Quot he s very self sufficient and i think that s something that s hard for those of us with two arms and two legs to understand Quot said Diane cabrales of the National Council of la Raza a latino civil rights organization that nominated Caesar for the Christopher Columbus trip. During the two month trek students took classes in Spanish about the Early explorers and the geography of Spain. Cabrales said Caesar was the Only american student invited to go Back to Spain to participate in next year s program. Quot he was a definite hit Quot she said. Stad Werke and that if the program worked in the Community it was being tested in the tax Relief would be spread around to other communities. I guess i could sum this up with did the test program work and if it did is the tax Relief available to me through stad Werke Richard Henricks Bamberg Germany is John a. Allred mar staff officer he Usa eur replies the utilities tax avoidance program was implemented during 1991 at Wurzburg and Karlsruhe. Expansion to other locations is still planned. However some delay has been experienced due to the command s involvement in Southwest Asia and current efforts to restructure Usa eur communities. We anticipate expansion to other locations during 1992 monday february 10, 1992 As earlier planned. As arrangements Are made we will provide local publicity and details to our customers on How they can take advantage of this Fine  write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes unit 29480, Apo a 09211. 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