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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> State-Affiliate-Leadership-List <state-affiliate-leadership-list-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Denise Avant via State-Affiliate-Leadership-List<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 25, 2018 11:17 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'State Affiliate Leadership List' <State-affiliate-leadership-list@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> davant1958@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> [State-affiliate-leadership-list] Second Annual Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=Default align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The SECOND ANNUAL Nationwide Braille Readers Are Leaders (BRAL) Contest IS HERE!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>For the past five years the NFB of Illinois (NFBI) has coordinated and administered an annual BRAL contest for kids in the Midwest. We started first with our own state, expanded it to include Minnesota, then the Great Lakes, and finally, nationwide. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The NFB of Illinois, in partnership with the American Action Fund, and the Jernigan Institute, is pleased to announce the second annual Nationwide BRAL contest. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default>If your affiliate submits $100 to the NFBI,<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> an unlimited number of children in your state can enter the contest. The kids can start reading on December 1, so that amount should be received by the NFBI before that date. We recommend that you send your money by November 15, 2018 so your state can start publicizing the contest. Contact Patti Chang at </span><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><a href="mailto:pattischang@gmail.com">pattischang@gmail.com</a></span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> for </span>transaction<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> details. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The NFB of Illinois will take care of the administrative details for the contest, including providing and mailing out all prizes. Each participating affiliate, however, will be responsible for publicizing the contest within its own state. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Here is a thumbnail sketch of the contest: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>For each student who enters, a certifying official (parent, teacher, etc.) must fill out and submit a registration form. Registration forms can be submitted as early as November 1, 2018 and as late as January 19, 2019. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Kids enter in one of five grade categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, & 9-12. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Participants record Braille pages read in the weeks between December 15 2017 and January 19, 2018 on a reading log. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The certifying official must submit the completed reading log by February 2, 2019. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Prizes in each grade category are: first, $25; second, $15; third, $10. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Every contestant, whether a winner or not, will receive a “goodie bag” containing Braille-related items at the end of the contest. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>In addition to awards in the five grade categories, the Kelly Doty Award is given to a student who has met unusual challenges in order to learn and read Braille. Such challenges include, but are not limited to, having other disabilities in addition to blindness or being an English language learner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The complete contest rules, registration form, and the reading log form will be available by November 1 on the website, </span><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><a href="http://www.nfbofillinois.org">http://www.nfbofillinois.org</a></span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>If you want a preliminary copy of the complete contest rules, contact </span>Robert Gardner at <span class=MsoHyperlink><a href="mailto:rgardner4@gmail.com">rgardner4@gmail.com</a></span>.<span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Both the registration form and the reading log form will be submitted by each certifying official as an attachment to an email to Deborah Stein, NFB of Illinois, who will act as the contest administrator. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>A flier will be available to the participating states which can be used to publicize the contest. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>We hope you will join us as we continue to promote Braille to the blind youth of our nation, a cornerstone mission of the National Federation of the Blind. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>If you have questions, email the contest administrator, Deborah Stein, at </span><span class=MsoHyperlink><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><a href="mailto:dkent5817@att.net">dkent5817@att.net</a></span></span><span class=Hyperlink0><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> (p</span></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>lease put “Nationwide BRAL Question” in the subject line). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Or phone 773-203-1394 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=Default style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Denise R. Avant, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Illinois<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(773)-991-8050<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Live the life you want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For more information about NFBI,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>go to www.nfbofillinois.org.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>