3 Arizona students to compete in national Braille Challenge

BY KTAR.COM | May 4, 2015

Three students from Arizona have been chosen to compete in a national reading and writing contest.

The 15th annual Braille Challenge will bring together 60 finalists — from ages 6 to 19 — on June 20 at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles, according to the East Valley Tribune.
The Valley news site reported:

Using a device called a Perkins Brailler, #BrailleChallenge finalists will embark on the daylong competition to showcase their skills in five categories: reading comprehension, spelling, chart and graph reading, proofreading and speed and accuracy. Following the competition, winners will be announced at an awards ceremony highlighted by musical performances and celebrity attendees honoring the incredible achievements of the 60 finalists.

Regional Braille Challenge events were held at 46 sites in the U.S. and Canada from January through March. More than 1,100 students participated.

The Arizona students who have been named finalists are:

• Emily Bowe, junior, Gilbert, Ariz.

• Joey Parra, sophomore, Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind

• Ciara Peterson, freshman, Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind

The Braille Challenge is the only national reading and writing contest in braille for students who are either blind or visually impaired.