The Iowa Regional Braille Challenge is quickly approaching! Testing for students will be held during a remote testing window of February 1, 2021 – February 28, 2021. The Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students who are blind or visually impaired. Braille Institute developed the Braille Challenge to motivate students to practice and hone their braille literacy skills, which are essential to academic and employment success.
We have a lot planned to help us celebrate Braille and the Braille Challenge!
Virtual Opening Ceremony and Awards Ceremony for Braille Challenge participants, their families, and educators.
Virtual Opening Ceremony: Monday, February 1st at 6:30pm
Virtual Awards Ceremony: Saturday, March 27th at 10:00am
Parent Sessions Registration
Monday, February 8that 5:30 p.m.
Virtual Parent Session: How Students Can Use Bookshare and BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download)
Monday, February 15th at 5:30 p.m.
Virtual Parent Session: Braille Tech: eReaders, Notetakers and More
Monday, February 22nd at 5:30 p.m.
Virtual Parent Session: Get to Know Your Youth Library and Librarian: programs, services and opportunities
Braille Institute Webinar Series
The Braille Institute will also be offering a Braille Challenge Webinar Series. These are free to attend and open to all.
To help us celebrate the Braille Challenge and Braille literacy, we are pleased to work with Raygun this year for the Braille Challenge t-shirt. All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and future Braille Challenges.
All shirts are crew neck and short-sleeved. The shirts are heather red with white lettering. The front of the t-shirt says in print: #brailleiowa. The back of the t-shirt says the same thing in Braille. All adult sizing is unisex and all shirts are $15.00. T-shirts will be mailed to the address you provide on the order form. Participants of the Braille Challenge will be provided with a t-shirt.
Orders can be placed until February 10, 2021
Let’s make 2021 a great year for students participating in the Braille Challenge!
For more information about the Braille Challenge check out our Braille Challenge page