Photo Provided Adena teen Chuck Carter was born with arthrogryposis, a condition that affects his muscles and joints and limits his mobility but not his imagination. Carter, a multimedia and design student at Jefferson County Joint Vocational School who also attends Buckeye Local High School, finds immense joy in creating art.

BLOOMINGDALE — With a stylus pressed between his teeth, Chuck Carter adds text and edits photographs on his computer’s touchscreen.

Carter, the grandson of Dean and Mary Carter of Adena and a junior at Buckeye Local High School, will turn 18 on Saturday, March 29, and has endured more than most during his lifetime; however, the multimedia and design student at Jefferson County Joint Vocational School does not see limitations, only endless possibilities.

He was born with arthrogryposis, a congenital disorder that causes the bending of joints and makes them short and stiff. The condition results in distinctive features such as sloped shoulders, curled wrists and fingers, extended knees and a curved spine. He was implanted with a metal rod to straighten his back, and his condition has left him without the use of his arms, so he navigates using a wheelchair that he maneuvers with switches. Carter has been treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, where staff celebrated his 17th birthday following his back surgery last year.

“I cannot control my muscles and my knees were bending forward, and I could not sit up two years ago,” Carter said. “I amputated my legs from the knees down and they took the ball sockets from my femur to bend easier. I’m just now reaching the final part to sit up and go through school normally.”

He studied through an online school during his sophomore year but is glad to be back in the classroom, and he has been assisted by aide Laura Morrison since he was in the fifth grade. Despite his limitations, he has discovered an appreciation for art that has only deepened through the years.

“It’s something I really liked to do for a long time,” he said. “I started (drawing) more and more, and it was something I became pretty good at.”

He began drawing at age 3 but said he had greatly improved by the time he reached seventh grade. Carter has become interested in character and game design and hopes to have a career in the field, and he said his time at JVS is helping him attain his dream.

“I heard the JVS had a really great program and thought it would make me better than I was, and it was 100 percent worth it. I’ve been working on Photoshop photo edits and compositing and I like the other students,” he commented. “I can’t really use my arms at all, so I use a stylus with a plastic end held in my mouth and I use a touchscreen on the computer to work.”

He works with an iPad connected to a smaller stand at home and has used a similar instrument since he was 10 years old.

“It’s been really awesome and helpful that we’ve been able to find something like that,” he said. “Art has been a way for me to express myself, and I hold myself to a very high standard.”

He has not studied the styles of such greats as Degas or Monet and said his interests lie more in gaming. Like any typical teen, he enjoys playing Fortnite and Minecraft, listening to rap music, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and NASCAR and spending time with his family, which also includes two siblings and a niece. Carter is also an honor student who has made the principal’s list each year and counts math and forensic science among his favorite subjects.

“It’s really quite interesting talking about forensic science and being able to identify almost anything,” he added. “I am also one of the few people that enjoys math. It’s something that gets my brain thinking and working.”

As he reaches his milestone, he looks to a simple celebration with cake and a bright future ahead. Carter hopes to attend college in Ohio and have a career in gaming design or the arts.

“It’s pretty much my entire life,” he commented.

Program instructor Cody LaRue is impressed by Carter’s capabilities and said he has enjoyed watching his creativity grow.

“I love having him in class. It’s a completely new experience for me as a teacher, and there’s a lot of adaptation involved,” LaRue said. “I’ve talked to his teachers, and the key is to be flexible with lessons. It’s really the eye for detail and a demonstration of knowledge. Chuck has a good spirit and is willing to work with me. Despite his obstacles, his attitude is incredible. People told me he was good at art and he’s a good artist, period. I’m excited to see what he can create.”

Morrison acts as his hands when taking photographs for class, but Carter focuses on capturing images from his perspective. She said Carter has been a profound joy to work with over the past six years.

“I love working with him. This is a dream job not everybody gets to have,” she added. “I’ll never have another job like this. Once he graduates, I’m really going to miss him.”