A student competes in one of five skills contest at the Ohio Regional Braille Challenge, working on her Brailler to accurately transcribe an audio recording.

January 15, 2019

Students Across Ohio Compete for Prizes,
Chance to Attend National Competition in Los Angeles

Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, in collaboration with the Braille Institute of America, invites Ohio students of all ages and abilities to compete in the Ohio Regional Braille Challenge on Friday, March 1, 2019 at Clovernook Center in Cincinnati.

Students from all across Ohio will gather at Clovernook Center, just outside Cincinnati in North College Hill for the event. Student contests are organized by grade level. All test formats are UEB.

Students in grade 1-12 are invited to compete in a series of five skills contests demonstrating braille reading and comprehension, speed and accuracy, spelling, proofreading, and tactile graphics. Now in its 18th year, the Braille Challenge is the only national reading and writing contest in braille for students who are blind and visually impaired. This event is open to students of all abilities, giving even emerging braille readers a chance to reach a personal best score.

A young student practices using his brailler during the Braille Explorers session.New this year, Clovernook Center is adding Braille Explorers – a category for children who are not yet ready for competition but are interested in preparing for competition-level braille reading and writing in the future. Braille Explorers will use modified Challenge activities in reading and writing and compete against other emerging braille users.

“Braille literacy is vitally important to blind and visually impaired children,” said Clovernook Center President and CEO Chris Faust. “It allows children to develop those same important learning tools as sighted children – reading writing, comprehension, sentence structure and more to convey important information to themselves and others.”

“Children who fully acquire braille reading and writing skills attain better literacy, education and employment outcomes than those whose learning is primarily supported by new spoken-word technology,” Faust said.

“Literacy is vital to a successful education, career and quality of life in today’s world,” said Ohio Regional Braille Challenge Event Chair Kathy DeLaura. “We are so proud to offer children across Ohio the motivation to become proficient in braille reading and writing skills and encourage
them to continue using those skills.”

Winners from each age group will be announced immediately following the competition, complete with cash prizes, trophies and pride. For the top academics, the Ohio Regional Competition is the first step to the coveted Braille Institute of America Braille Challenge Finals, held in Los Angeles June 21-22, 2019.

To register your child or student for the Ohio Regional Braille Challenge, please contact Event Chair Kathy DeLaura at kathy@pinchange.com or braillechallenge@clovernook.org, or call (513) 702-4878.

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