[Nfbk] FW: National Federation of the Blind Announces Winners of 2011 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest

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Subject: National Federation of the Blind Announces Winners of 2011 Onkyo
Braille Essay Contest


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281  (Cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org



National Federation of the Blind Announces Winners
of 2011 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest

Competition Encourages Braille Usage among the Blind

Baltimore, Maryland (December 14 , 2011): The National Federation of the
Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the
United States, is proud to announce the winners of the 2011 Onkyo Braille
Essay Contest.  The NFB administered the Onkyo Braille Literacy Essay
Contest in the U.S. on behalf of the North American/Caribbean Region of the
World Blind Union.  The essay contest, sponsored by Onkyo Corporation, a
Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer, and the Braille Mainichi, part
of the Mainichi Newspaper Company in Japan, was created to promote Braille
literacy and to encourage the sharing of social and cultural information
among blind and visually impaired persons.

The essays were required to be written in Braille and to pertain either to
how the individual gains knowledge or independence through Braille or to an
individual concept about world peace from the viewpoint of persons with
disabilities.  There were two groups of competitors: a junior category for
persons up to age twenty-five and a senior category for persons over age
twenty-six.  Each winner received a substantial cash prize, a plaque, and
other gifts from the Onkyo Corporation.

Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"We are very pleased to have been a part of this important contest. There
can be no doubt that the ability to read and write Braille competently and
efficiently is the key to education, employment, and success for the blind.
Despite the undisputed value of Braille, however, only about 10 percent of
blind children in the United States are learning it.  We congratulate the
contest winners and commend them for demonstrating the impact Braille has
had on their lives through their essays and also for raising awareness of
the importance of Braille literacy throughout their everyday lives."

The seven winners from the North America/Caribbean Region were as follows:



OOTSUKI PRIZE
Kim Kilpatrick, Ottawa, Canada

EXCELLENT WORK AWARD, SENIOR
Allison O'Day, Minnesota, USA

FINE WORK AWARDS, SENIOR
Lori Miller, Indiana, USA
Jason Meddaugh, Michigan, USA
Khadija Mohamedbhai, Ottawa, Canada

EXCELLENT WORK AWARD, JUNIOR
Hanna Chadwick-Dias, California, USA

FINE WORK AWARD, JUNIOR
Brittany Stovall, Missouri, USA

The NFB encouraged all countries in the North America Caribbean Region to
participate in the Onkyo Braille Essay Contest.  Essays were submitted from
the United States and Canada.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, please
visit www.nfb.org.



###



About the National Federation of the Blind

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the
largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the
United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives through advocacy,
education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and
self-confidence. It is the leading force in the blindness field today and
the voice of the nation's blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National
Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training
center in the United States for the blind led by the blind. Please visit our
Web site: www.nfb.org.






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