<html>
<body>
<font face="Garamond"><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4><b>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><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="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a><br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><div align="center"><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4><b>
National Federation of the Blind Launches 28<sup>th</sup> Annual<br>
Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest<br><br>
</b></font></div>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><b>Baltimore, Maryland (October
1, 2010): </b>The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), in conjunction
with</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica">the National Association to
Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) and the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children, today launched the
28<sup>th</sup><a name="OLE_LINK6"></a> annual Braille Readers Are
Leaders contest for students grades K–12.
<a name="OLE_LINK5"></a>The contest, which seeks to help develop and
encourage blind children’s Braille skills, awards cash prizes to blind
students based on the number of Braille pages they read.<br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
As in previous years, contest participants will read as many Braille
pages as they can in two months (November 1, 2010, through January 4,
2011) to compete for ribbons, cash prizes, and a trip to the 2011 NFB
National Convention in Orlando, Florida. In addition to the contest
for K–12 students, the NFB is again offering the Braille Readers Are
Leaders contest for adult Braille readers. Adults will compete for
cash prizes, national recognition, and bragging rights! <br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"> <br><br>
“As blind people, we know from personal and empirical evidence that
Braille literacy is a key component of success for the blind,” said Dr.
Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind and a
lifelong Braille reader. “Studies have shown that among blind
people who are employed, approximately 85 percent read Braille.
Encouraging blind children to begin learning and reading Braille as early
as possible is one of the best things parents and teachers can do to
insure the child’s future success. That is why the National
Federation of the Blind has created and continues to sponsor these
important Braille literacy programs.”</font><font face="Garamond">
<br><br>
<br><br>
Registration for the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest begins October
1, 2010. For detailed information about the contest please visit
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/bral"><b>www.nfb.org/bral</a>, e-mail
<a href="mailto:BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org">
BrailleReadersAreLeaders@nfb.org</a>, or call (410) 659-9314, extension
2293.<br><br>
</b></font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><div align="center"><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><b>###<br>
<br>
</b></font></div>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
<b>About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</b> <br><br>
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 <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />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.<br><br>
<br>
</font> <br><br>
<br>
__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 5496 (20101001) __________<br><br>
The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.<br><br>
<a href="http://www.eset.com">http://www.eset.com</a><br>
</body>
</html>