[nfbwatlk] Fw: Braille Challenge Activity Idea and other Info

Fri Dec 5 03:30:08 UTC 2008

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thorpe, Mary Jo" <MThorpe at nfb.org>
To: "Youth outreach projects Support List" <youth-outreach at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 6:07 AM
Subject: [Youth-outreach] Braille Challenge Activity Idea and other Info

Greetings everyone!
    Happy Holidays.  As many of you know, the NFB has begun a huge
campaign to promote the use of Braille.  Things will really get underway
with the sale of the Louis Braille commemorative coin in a couple months
as well.  With that, it is a perfect time for each of us to begin
thinking of things we can do in our own states to help promote Braille
literacy with youth.  I saw this message this morning and thought I
would pass it along as an idea for some of you.  This was an
announcement for a Braille challenge activity taking place in Long
Island, NY in January.  Attached is the application and a brochure
advertising the event.  It seems like this would be something many of
you could organize in your state.  Hopefully this can serve as an idea
booster for you, and the attachments could be useful in organizing your
own.  Here are more suggestions to help you in planning a one-day event
for youth focused around Braille:
1.  Suggestions for activities
--Braille carnival
--Braille scavenger hunt
--Braille bingo
--Braille story writing contest
--guest story tellers reading stories in Braille
--parent session to teach the code
--workshops on learning Nemoth code (like just the numbers and basic
symbols)
--Braille read-a-thon: everyone brings snacks, blankets, pillows, and of
course their favorite Braille book and reads for a designated amount of
time. Youth could even read to each other, or parents to their children.

--activity corner with magnetic board and magnetic strips (kind you find
at craft or supply stores) with Braille and large print words on the
strips.  The kids could then create their own sentences with all the
words and arrange them on the board or wall.
--Braille book fair (have Braille book vendors there to sell items)
--Braille book exchange or flea market (get people to donate used
Braille books)

**All these activities could be modified to fit different ages.  For
example, teens might really get into the writing activity or bingo could
include harder, more mature words on the cards for older kids.

2.  Using local resources for support
Sure, maybe you wouldn't have the sponsors like the Long Island activity
has--not that you couldn't try to get them(see forwarded message below)
but there are lots of things locally you could try to tap into for
support.
--state agencies for the blind
--local school for the blind
--volunteers from local NFB chapters
--state library for the blind
--local bookstore (use the premise that you are promoting literacy even
though they don't sell Braille)
--ask local shops or restaurants to donate "in kind"gifts like door
prizes or food for meals or snacks during the event

I hope that you will all take some time to consider organizing something
of this kind for your state.  Again, now is a great time to do so with
the Braille campaign underway.  also Please share any ideas you have or
success stories as you carry out your own event.  Remember too that the
Jernigan Institute can be a great resource.

Happy planning!
Mary Jo Thorpe

Mary Jo Thorpe, MEd, NOMC

Education Program Specialist

Jernigan Institute
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
1800 Johnson St.
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone: (410)659-9314 ext. 2407
Email: MTHORPE at nfb.org <mailto:MTHORPE at nfb.org>
Visit www.nfb.org <http://www.nfb.org/>

________________________________

From: pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:pibe-division-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sheila Amato
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:41 PM
Subject: [Pibe-division] East Meadow/Long Island Second Annual
RegionalBraille Challenge

Hello, friends and colleagues;

Please help publicize our Second Annual Regional Braille Challenge by
sharing this information with others.

We are inviting students from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Connecticut (and anyone else who wants to travel to Long Island to
participate!)

East Meadow/Long Island Second Annual Regional Braille Challenge
Saturday, January 10, 2009 (snowdate Saturday, January 24, 2009)
8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
W.Tresper Clarke High School
740 Edgewood Drive
Westbury, NY 11590

For registration and/or information contact:
Dr. Sheila Amato
samato at eastmeadow.k12.ny.us or brltrans at verizon.net
516-457-1990 (cell)

Brochure and student registration files are attached to this email; feel
free to print and distribute to TVIs, parents, administrators, and
students.

We have a dynamic guest speaker, parent and educator workshops, and of
course, the Braille Challenge for the students. Breakfast and lunch will
be provided. Please encourage students to come for the day (even if
their braille skills aren't great...) It will be a day of fun, food,
workshops, activities, prizes, music, and camaraderie. You are welcome
and encouraged to join us as well. If you would like to volunteer to
assist on this day, please let me know via return email message.

For further Braille Challenge information, please check out
www.braillechallenge.org.

Thank you for your support,

Sheila Amato, Ed.D.
Teacher of students who are blind/visually impaired
East Meadow School District
Long Island, NY

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