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Thristan Mendoza

(Photograph of Thristan Mendoza playing the marimba, a 2001 Rosemary Kennedy International Young Soloists Award recipient)

A 2001 Rosemary Kennedy International Young Soloist Award Winner,eleven-year-old Thristan Mendoza is from Quezon City, Philippines. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 1/2. With his inborn perfect pitch, he learned to play the marimba at the age of five and has already done over 120 performances. Recently, Thristan was given the Millennium Dreamer's Award during the Global Children's summit held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He has contributed his talent and his time to public awareness efforts and fundraising for the Autism Society of the Philippines and other organizations for the disabled. In addition to being a very talented Marimba player, Thristan has consistently been in the top percent of his class at O.B. Montessori.