[Nfbofnc] Fwd: [Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Announces Winners of 2010 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest

[Tim Jones]

fyi

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Freeh, Jessica <JFreeh at nfb.org>
Date: Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 10:52 PM
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Announces
Winners of 2010 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org


               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

National Federation of the Blind Announces
Winners of 2010 Onkyo Braille Essay Contest

Competition Encourages Braille Usage Among the Blind

Baltimore, Maryland (December 20, 2010): 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 2010 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
Nijat Worley; Colorado, U.S.

EXCELLENT WORK AWARD, SENIOR
Barbie Elliott; Utah, U.S.
FINE WORK AWARDS, SENIOR
April Davis; Louisiana, U.S.
Penny Leclair; Ontario, Canada

EXCELLENT WORK AWARD, JUNIOR
Madeline Link; Pennsylvania, U.S.

FINE WORK AWARDS, JUNIOR
Ashley Gonzalez; Texas, U.S.
Ana Gschwend; Manitoba, Canada

The NFB encouraged all countries in the North America Caribbean Region to
participate in the Onkyo Braille Essay Contest.  Thirty-nine essays were
submitted from the United States, and three from Canada.  The United States
selection committee was established by inviting member organizations from
the United States to have a representative participate on the committee.
 The selection committee then forwarded the top five essays from the U.S. to
be considered in the regional selection process.  The Canadian essays were
ranked by a committee designated by the coordinating agency for Canada, and
all of those essays were forwarded for regional consideration.  The regional
selection committee consisted of all of the members of both national
selection committees, and it met to choose the prize winners on August 18,
2010.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, please
visit <http://www.nfb.org>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: <http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org.



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Tim Jones
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