ATLANTA -- Eight year old Ava Bullard is playing with her sisters, riding their bikes on their long country driveway. It is a simple act that defies those who said she would never talk, those who said she wouldn't function in the real world.

Ava was not a typical baby, or toddler.

Her mother Anna says, "You couldn't interact with her."

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Ava did not play with toys. Did not speak. Could not dress herself. Did not interact with her parents or sisters. Slept two hours a night. She was in her own world.

Anna says, "It's like she looked straight through me. She would just...it's like you weren't there, if you were in the room with her."

Anna Bullard took Ava from doctor to doctor for months. One doctor told the family Ava was 'just weird.'

ACWORTH, Ga. -- Acworth Parks and Recreation will hold karate classes for children and tai chi classes for adults beginning next month.

The karate lessons are for children ages 4-10 and are taught by certified instructors, including a 7th degree black belt. The cost is $65 for Acworth residents and $70 for non-residents.

Karate classes are held at the Roberts School Community Center on Mondays and Wednesdays through Jan. 30. Participants can choose between a 5:30 p.m. session and a 6 p.m. session.

Tai chi is a calmer form of martial arts. Acworth's classes are designed for people who are at least 21 years old. The cost is $87.50 for residents and $92.50 for non-residents.

The city will host beginner's classes on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Intermediate classes will be Mondays at 6:30 p.m., while advanced classes will be Mondays at 7:30 p.m. All three sessions will be at the Roberts School Community Center, and will run through Jan. 29.