Braille onward! On June 24, these words echoed throughout the University of Southern California campus, where 51 contestants from across the globe had gathered for the 2023 Braille Challenge Finals.
Braille Challenge was created in 2000 by Braille Institute, a nonprofit organization in southern California with a mission to positively transform the lives of individuals with vision loss. Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind to foster and promote braille literacy. Students compete in several contests that test their spelling, proofreading, listening, reading comprehension, and ability to decipher charts and graphs.
This year, more than 800 students participated in regional competitions across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to earn a spot at Braille Challenge Finals.
Michigan Students Compete at Finals
For the eighth year in a row, students throughout the state participated in the Michigan Regional Braille Challenge, hosted by the Michigan Department of Education – Low Incidence Outreach (MDE-LIO) and partnering intermediate school districts (ISDs). Students had a choice to take the challenge virtually, in person, or individually with a proctor. In total, 20 students competed in this year's Michigan Regional Braille Challenge.
Two of these students secured a spot at the 2023 Braille Challenge Finals: Yilin, from Ottawa County, competed in the Apprentice category (grades 1–2) and Elena, from Newago County, competed in the Junior Varsity category (grades 7–9). Ultimately, both contestants finished in the top 10 of their categories at Braille Challenge Finals.
Braille Teacher of the Year Awarded
During the festivities at Braille Challenge Finals, the Braille Teacher of the Year was recognized. This year, April Makley, a teacher for the visually impaired at Kent ISD, received the award. Makley’s colleagues and a former student nominated her for her work in fostering braille literacy.