2024 Iowa Regional Braille Challenge
Braille is Beautiful!
What’s Your Favorite Part of the Braille Challenge?
Saturday, February 24, 2024
at the Iowa Department for the Blind
524 4th Street, Des Moines
What is the Braille Challenge?
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.
Any blind or visually impaired student in grades 1 – 12 who can read and write braille is eligible to participate in the Braille Challenge. All Contestants are divided into five categories and tested on fundamental braille skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading, and charts and graphs.
All students can compete in the preliminary Braille Challenge events, which are held from January through the end of March throughout the United States and Canada, but only the top 50 students (10 in each category) with the highest scores are invited to Los Angeles for the final round – two days of competition, camaraderie and fun!
Contest Age Groups
- Apprentice—1st and 2nd grades
- Freshman—3rd and 4th grades
- Sophomore—5th and 6th grades
- Junior Varsity—7th, 8th and 9th grades
- Varsity—10th, 11th and 12th grades
For more information check out information from the Braille Institute.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
at the Iowa Department for the Blind
524 4th Street, Des Moines
Registration Information for Students:
The Iowa Braille Challenge will be held on Saturday, February 24 at the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines. The deadline for students to register is January 26.
Braille and Tactile Workshop for Parents, Educators, Librarians and Braille Transcribers:
This year, we are offering a Braille and Tactile Workshop for parents, educators, librarians, and braille transcribers from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm during the Braille Challenge. The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to learn more about braille, accessible educational materials, braille production and more. A hands-on activity will give participants the opportunity to create their own print/braille book and accessible activities to use at home, in the classroom or in the library. The deadline to register is February 9. The workshop will be open to the first 30 registrants.
Braille is Beautiful 2024 Braille Challenge T-Shirt!
To help us celebrate the Braille Challenge and Braille literacy, we are pleased to work with local, small business The Side Garage this year for the Braille Challenge t-shirt. The theme for 2024 is Braille is Beautiful.
Participants of the Braille Challenge will be provided with a t-shirt generously donated by the Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
All proceeds from the t-shirt sales will benefit the Friends of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped and future Braille Challenges.
Have you heard of the Braille Challenge, Maybe song?
It is a fun and empowering adaptation of “Call Me, Maybe” with lyrics by Caitlin Hernandez, written specifically for young braille users.
Challenge, Maybe
Lyrics, Vocals and Arrangement By Caitlin Hernandez (2013)
VERSE 1
My heart is beating so fast,
Already having a blast,
Each year is better than last,
And I am in the zone.
It’s almost time to begin,
I roll my first paper in
And I am starting to grin
‘Cause we are on our way.
PRE-CHORUS:
They say it’s time and
Bells ring, fingers fly and
Braillers shake the tables:
We just caused a braille earthquake!
CHORUS:
Hey, I just got here,
And this is crazy;
We all love Braille,
So now we’re racing.
We’ll spell some tricky words
And then we’ll proofread,
And we’re enjoying
This Challenge, maybe.
Hey, what is your name?
You’re from what city?
The fun we’re having
Is just beginning.
We’re on the same page,
We’ve been there, done that.
There’s understanding
Right off the bat.
VERSE 2
There’s Speed and Accuracy,
And passages we must read,
And graphs about everything,
Gosh—we’ll be here all day.
And by the time that we’re done,
Our hands are pretty much numb,
But we’re so glad that we’ve come
‘Cause there’s so much to say.
PRE-CHORUS:
We’ve aced the testing,
There’s no time for resting.
Soon we’ll all be texting,
‘Til we’re back against next summer.
CHORUS:
Hey, I just met you,
And this is crazy,
But we both love braille,
So we’re friends already.
Let’s talk technology,
Let’s share our stories,
While we’re all here for
This Challenge, maybe.
No, we’re not here to
Win a contest;
We’re here because we
Have tried our hardest.
And all the sighted kids,
Well, they can’t read this,
But we know braille,
We’re undefeated.
BRIDGE:
We read our braille books in bed
We stay up all night,
We don’t need any light;
They think we’re sleeping tight.
And sometimes we goof off in class
‘Cause on our BrailleNotes
Our teachers won’t know
The silly things we wrote.
Challenge, maybe.
CHORUS:
I love my time here
And I am glad we
All met each other …
It’s so amazing.
I’ll never give up!
Get out of my way!
My future will be
Whatever I say!
I’ll braille up a storm,
I’ll see you soon when
We all come back for
This Challenge, maybe.
CHORUS:
We read our braille books in bed,
We stay up all night,
We don’t need any light;
They think we’re sleeping tight.
I wait for Challenge all year long
To be with my friends.
I hope this never ends …
This Challenge, maybe.
2024 Iowa Regional Braille Challenge
Award Winners
Congratulations to all of our Braille Challenge award winners and participants!
Rookie Group
1st Place: Raelyn Miller-Ramirez
Apprentice Group
1st Place: Aria Murray
Freshman Group
1st Place: Khanh Tran
2nd Place: Leonard Mendoza
Sophomore Group
1st Place: Jordyn Robbins
Junior Varsity Group
1st Place: Tayler Soppe
2nd Place: Jordan Jacobsen
3rd Place: Jaidyn Burge
Varsity Group
1st Place: Nathan Deeds
2nd Place: Zachary Nolin
3rd Place: Kayla Bartholomew
2024 Participants
Aria Murray
Brinley Perez
Dylan Carter
Jaidyn Burge
Jordan Jacobsen
Jordyn Robbins
Kayla Bartholomew
Khanh Tran
Leonard Mendoza
Nathan Deeds
Raelyn Miller-Ramirez
Tayler Soppe
Zachary Nolin
