<html>
<body>
<br>
<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<div align="center"><h1><b>Blind Students Win Braille Reading
Contest</b></h1>Seventeen Students Awarded Cash Prizes by National
Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</div>
<b>Baltimore, Maryland (March 19, 2018):</b> The National Federation of
the Blind (NFB), the nation’s leading advocate for Braille literacy, has
announced the winners of its 2017-2018 Nationwide Braille Readers Are
Leaders Contest. The competition was sponsored by the National Federation
of the Blind of Illinois in partnership with the National Association to
Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB), which is also an NFB division.
Eighty-one students from twelve states took part in the contest. The
participating states were Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana,
Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and
Virginia.<br><br>
Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“I am delighted that the National Association to Promote the Use of
Braille and our Illinois affiliate have brought back this beloved
contest. This year’s participation shows that Braille Readers Are Leaders
is once again in full swing. The ability to read and write Braille
competently and efficiently is the key to education, employment, and
success for the blind. Through this contest, we encourage blind children
to enhance their love of reading and their Braille skills so that they
will be prepared to live the lives they want. Congratulations to all of
the winners of this year’s contest, and to all of the students who took
part.”<br><br>
To compete in the contest, students submitted reading logs, counting the
number of Braille pages they read between December 15, 2017 and February
1, 2018. The contestants with the top three page counts in each of five
grade categories were awarded cash prizes: $25 for first place, $15 for
second place, and $10 for third place and honorable mention. Every
student who submitted a reading log received a package of Braille-related
gifts. Here is the complete list of the 2017-2018 Nationwide Braille
Readers Are Leaders winners:<br><br>
<i>Grades K-1<br><br>
</i>First Place: Cameron Gooden, Carterville, IL<br><br>
Second Place: Ander Mielke, Havre, MT<br><br>
Third Place: Kenji Torihara, Chicago, IL<br><br>
Honorable Mention: Anastasia Marinos, Burr Ridge, IL<br><br>
<i>Grades 2-3<br><br>
</i>First Place, Aisha Safi, Chevy Chase, MD<br><br>
Second Place: Preston Rose, Eagan, MN<br><br>
Third Place: Anna Sayles, Peoria, IL<br><br>
Honorable Mention: Ely Giraldo, Staunton, VA<br><br>
<i>Grades 4-5 <br><br>
</i>First Place: Jonah Rao, Columbia, MD<br><br>
Second Place: Isaiah Rao, Columbia, MD<br><br>
Third Place: Karli Copes, Oak Grove, LA<br><br>
<i>Grades 6-8<br><br>
</i>First Place: Holly Connor, St. Louis, MO<br><br>
Second Place: Nicholas Tarver, Many, LA<br><br>
Third Place: Anthony Spears, Mattoon, IL<br><br>
<i>Grades 9-12 <br><br>
</i>First Place: Maria-Luisa Montero-Olivero, Marietta, GA<br><br>
Second Place: Marie Presume, Staunton, VA<br><br>
Third Place: Kaelyn Kinlaw, Staunton, VA<br><br>
<i>KELLY DOTY AWARDS<br><br>
</i>The Kelly Doty Awards of $25 are given to students who overcome
special challenges to achieve fluency in Braille reading. Such challenges
include, but are not limited to, having disabilities in addition to
blindness or being an English-language learner. The following students
received 2018 Kelly Doty Awards:<br><br>
Alan Bunay, Spring Valley, NY<br><br>
Miracle Douglas, Peoria, IL<br><br>
Isaiah Rao, Columbia, MD<br><br>
Jonah Rao, Columbia, MD<br><br>
Aisha Safi, Chevy Chase, MD<br><br>
Nicholas Tarver, Many, LA<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>###<br><br>
</div>
About the National Federation of the Blind <br><br>
</b>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in
Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind
Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and
divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB
defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information
and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are
losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind
people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about
our many programs and initiatives at
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10625&qid=2193627">
www.nfb.org</a>.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10626&qid=2193627">
cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
<br><br>
<table border=0>
<tr><td width=16><td width=16>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10627&qid=2193627">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo">
</a>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10627&qid=2193627">
</a></td><td width=16>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10628&qid=2193627">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-twitter-ms.png" alt="Twitter Logo">
</a>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10628&qid=2193627">
</a></td><td width=16><a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10629&qid=2193627"><img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-instagram-ms.png" alt="Instagram Logo"></a>
</td><td width=16>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10630&qid=2193627">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-youtube-ms.png" alt="YouTube Logo">
</a>
</td><td width=16>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10631&qid=2193627">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-email-ms.png" alt="Email Icon Image">
</a>
</td><td width=16>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10632&qid=2193627">
<img src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" alt="Donate to the NFB Icon.">
</a>
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10632&qid=2193627">
</a></td><td width=16></td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan=8 width=128>National Federation of the
Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | (410) 659-9314
</td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan=8 width=128>
<a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=8650&qid=2193627&h=0a42c579c6c895a3">
Unsubscribe</a> |
<a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=8650&qid=2193627&h=0a42c579c6c895a3">
Opt Out</a> |
<a href="https://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=10633&qid=2193627">
Sign up for email newsletter</a> </td></tr>
<tr><td align="center" colspan=8 width=128><br>
200 East Wells Street<br>
Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
United States.. </td></tr>
</table>
<br>
</body>
</html>