School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Announce Braille Challenge Winners
March 14, 2016 | salineriverchronicle.com
(Little Rock)—On Thursday, March 10, from 8:30 a.m.to 3:30 p.m., 33 blind and visually impaired students from across the state met in Little Rock to test their braille skills in an academic competition unlike any other. The students took part in The Arkansas Regional Braille Challenge, which was held at the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, located at 2600 W. Markham in Little Rock.
The Braille Challenge® is the only national academic competition for blind students in the United States and is a national program of Braille Institute of America. It serves to encourage blind children of all ages to fine-tune their braille skills, which are essential to their academic and employment success in the sighted world.
Winners are:
Apprentice, Nontraditional: First place, Jaylen May, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Second place, Sarah Thacker, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Third Place: Kayla Emison, Wonderview Schools
Apprentice, First place: London Ledbetter, Fountain Lake Schools Second place, Ajan Howard, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Third place, Dallas Cathey (son of Jeff and Holly Cathey), Monticello Schools
Freshman, First Place: Sadie Huff, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Second Place, Cole Carper, Little Rock Schools Third Place, Lucas Harris- Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Sophomore: First Place, Diya Chakraborty, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Second Place Austin McCulley-Clinton Schools Third Place, Ethan Scott, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Junior Varsity: First Place, Macy James- Calico Rock Schools, Second Place, Nick Aikins, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Third Place, Hannah Seale, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Varsity: First Place, Kacie Sallee, Norfolk Schools Second Place Worthie Springer, Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Third Place: Caitlyn Laster, Bellville Schools
The Arkansas Regional Braille Challenge is the first step on the road to the national competition, which will be held in June at Braille Institute’s headquarters in Los Angeles. Students from across the nation are completing preliminary testing this winter in hopes of qualifying for the 60 spots available in the national competition. The top scorers in the preliminary round will advance to the Finals and get the opportunity to compete against the top blind students from across the United States and Canada.
Of all the literacy issues in America, braille literacy is the most underrated and overlooked. Advances in technology have not replaced the need for blind children to learn to read using this vital medium, which was created by Louis Braille in 1824. Studies show that only 30 percent of blind adults gain full-time employment, but 90 percent of those who beat the odds are braille readers. If you would like additional information on the event or any of the participants, please contact Lori Cole, Braille Resource Specialist at the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (501)296-1810.
“The BRAILLE CHALLENGE is a national program of the Braille Institute® hosted by regional schools and agencies that serve blind and visually impaired children. It is the only national braille literacy competition of its kind in the country, and is specifically designed to challenge and reward blind students for their study of braille, which is essential to their future academic and employment success.”
The Braille Challenge is a national program of the Braille Institute.
