TAMPA, Fla. — This month, visually impaired students from across Tampa Bay came together in Tampa for a day of competition, networking, and fun in the 2024 Florida Regional Braille Challenge held in Tampa.
Every year, the Braille Challenge has a different theme to kick off the competition. This year, it was a pizza party.
“So all the activities we have in the morning are related to pizza, and we want them to be all hands-on. We have a pizza garden with herbs and tomato and garlic and green peppers, a chart called Top This, they can vote on their favorite toppings,” said event organizer Sue Glaser.
More than 30 students from five different school districts participated in the 17th annual event.
“It gives us the opportunity to show off the braille skills that we’ve been learning all year long, compete with other students around the state, and hopefully, if we win, go to a national contest,” said teacher Nancy Montcalm.
These students say the best part is making new friendships that will hopefully last into adulthood.
“It is so fun because you can relate to what they are feeling, and it’s just so relatable and so friendly, and I love it,” said student Aniyah Purvis.
“There is a woman that I met last year that got me into Tae Kwon Do, and I just saw her and talked to her,” said student Tyler Maddox.
It’s also a great way to introduce families to the latest technology when it comes to reading and writing.
“Brings lots of awareness that there are lots of children in our community that are born blind, they are born with low vision, some of them have a progressive condition where they are losing their vision,” said Glaser.
Student Camden Cotton can’t wait to bring his own students to the Braille Challenge when he becomes a teacher.
“If I do become like a blind teacher I would want to tell other blind people like to try and do this challenge, it’s pretty fun,” said Cotton.
While student Christopher Johnson said, one of the highlights of his day was learning about the ABC Action News TV camera.
“Oh yea, it’s a cool camera, I’ve never actually seen a camera like that,” said Johnson.
Johnson said once the testing begins, all that really matters is that you are here and trying your best.
“Life has its ups and downs, life has its challenges, so you got to knock it out and keep going, don’t give up,” said Johnson.
