Candy Carson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Candy Carson
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Carson in 2014
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lacena Rustin
August 19, 1953 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Yale University (BA) Johns Hopkins University (MBA) |
| Occupation |
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Lacena "Candy" Carson was born on August 19, 1953. She is an American author and educator. She is married to Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and former government official.
Together, they started the Carson Scholars Fund in 1994. Candy Carson has also co-written four books with her husband. During his campaign for President in 2016, she was very active. She gave live interviews and appeared on television to support him.
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Her Early Life and Education
Candy Carson was born Lacena Rustin in Royal Oak Township, Michigan. She grew up in the Episcopal Church. She finished high school at Ferndale High School.
In the 1970s, she met her future husband, Ben Carson. They were both students at Yale University. After graduating from Yale, she went to Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. There, she earned her master's degree in business.
Candy Carson is also a talented musician. She used to be a concert violinist. She even played the national anthem at her husband's campaign launch. She has also been a conductor for a medical center music group.
Helping Students: The Carson Scholars Fund
In 1994, Candy and Ben Carson created the Carson Scholars Fund. This fund gives scholarships to students in grades 4 through 11. These scholarships are for students who show "academic excellence and humanitarian qualities." This means they are great at school and are kind and helpful to others.
The Carsons started the fund because they learned that U.S. students were falling behind in math and science. They wanted to encourage students to work hard in school. They noticed that athletes received trophies, but honor students often only got a pin.
Students who receive a Carson Scholars Fund award get a $1,000 scholarship. This money helps them pay for college later. So far, the fund has given out over 6,700 scholarships. Candy Carson helps manage this scholarship fund.
Her Family Life
Candy Carson and Ben Carson got married in 1975. They have three sons named Murray, Benjamin Jr., and Rhoeyce. They also have several grandchildren.
For many years, they lived in West Friendship, Maryland. In 2013, they moved to Florida. Both Candy and Ben Carson are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Because of her religious beliefs, Candy Carson is a vegetarian.
In 1981, Candy Carson became pregnant with twins. Sadly, she lost the babies in her fifth month of pregnancy. The next year, when she became pregnant again, her doctor told her to rest. She stayed on bed rest after her fourth month of pregnancy. She left her job to focus on her health during this time.
Books She Wrote
Candy Carson has written four books with her husband. One of their books is called One Nation. This book became a The New York Times Best Seller. It was the number one best-selling book for five weeks.
In early 2016, her own book was released. It is a memoir called A Doctor in the House: My Life with Ben Carson. A memoir is a book about a person's own life experiences.
Portrayal in Popular Media
Candy Carson has been shown in movies and TV shows. Actress Aunjanue Ellis played her in the TV movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. This movie first aired in 2009. It starred Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Ben Carson.
Candy Carson also appeared as herself in a documentary about her husband. This was in 1991 and was also called Gifted Hands. Later, comedian Leslie Jones played her on the TV show Saturday Night Live in 2018.
