Minnesota Braille Challenge
About the Competition
Celebrating its 25th year, the Braille Challenge is the only academic competition of its kind for students in grades 1-12 who are blind or visually impaired. Organized by the Braille Institute, the program marks a quarter century of promoting braille literacy through rigorous academic competitions across the globe. The Region 11 Low Incidence Project at BrightWorks and SparkPath are working together to coordinate the first Minnesota Braille Challenge!
Theme
“Let’s Go! Let’s Braille!”
Date & Time
Saturday, February 8, 2025, roughly 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM (exact schedule to be determined)
Location
BrightWorks, 2 Pine Tree Drive, Arden Hills, MN 55112
Cost
There is no registration fee for students to participate in the MN Regional Braille Challenge
Audience
Minnesota students in grades 1-12 who read braille
Contest Age Groups:
- Apprentice (uncontracted): grades 1-2
- Freshman: grades 3-4
- Sophomore: grades 5-6
- Junior Varsity: grades 7-9
- Varsity: grades 10-12
- (New this year) Fundamental: interactive braille-focused activities that are not scored
Contest Categories:
- Spelling (grades 1-4)
- Reading Comprehension (grades 1-12)
- Proofreading (grades 1-12)
- Charts and Graphs (grades 5-12)
- Speed and Accuracy (grades 5-12)
Registration information - Due December 9, 2024
There are two ways to register students for the competition:
- Two Google forms - Registration/Permission Form that parents/legal guardians fill out and a Reading Level Contest Form that TVIs fill out.
- One PDF form - This combined Registration/Permission/Reading Level Form has a section for parents to fill out and a section for the TVI to fill out.
- Email completed form to Colleen Feller at colleen.feller@brightworksmn.org or mail to BrightWorks, Attn: Colleen Feller, 2 Pine Tree Drive, Suite 101, Arden Hills, MN 55112
Download the Minnesota Braille Challenge flyer (PDF format) to share information about the event.
Additional details about lodging, meals, and breakout sessions coming soon!
Contact Information
Colleen Feller, Director of SparkPath
612/638-1511, colleen.feller@brightworksmn.org
Judy Wolff Library
Housed at BrightWorks, the Judy Wolff Library resources are available September through June for Minnesota Educators and Minnesota residents only. Through a partnership with BrightWorks, the Judy Wolff Library provides special education resources to Minnesota districts, schools, teachers, and parents within Minnesota’s Region 11.
Reserve Library Items
BrightWorks Events & Registration
Event listings offered by BrightWorks and register at our Event Calendar page.
Events & Registration